Dakar Rally Update: Mercedes Commits to New Floor for Dutch GP
As part of its ongoing upgrade program, Mercedes has committed to running its new floor for the remainder of the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix weekend at Zandvoort. The decision comes after the team initially trialed the new floor at the Belgian Grand Prix before the summer break.
During the opening practice session in Belgium, Mercedes encountered some handling issues and a lack of straight-line speed, leading the team to revert to the previous well-understood specification. However, the data from the factory indicated that the new design was an improvement, and the team remained confident in its potential.
To confirm their findings, Mercedes split the specification of their cars in the first practice session at Zandvoort, with George Russell running the new floor and Lewis Hamilton sticking with the old one. After the initial feedback and Hamilton’s trouble-free run in FP2, the team has decided to move forward with the new floor on both cars for the rest of the weekend.
“Today was an encouraging start to the weekend,” said Mercedes’ trackside engineering director, Andrew Shovlin. “The conditions in FP1 were particularly tricky with very strong winds and heavy rain, making it difficult to get a good read on the updated floor. Nevertheless, what we saw looks in line with expectations, so we’ll continue the weekend with that fitted to both cars.”
The team is bracing itself for a tough fight with its closest rivals, McLaren and Red Bull, as the gaps between them appear to be quite tight. George Russell commented, “The pack at the front seems to be quite close once again. We expect to be facing another fascinating battle across the rest of the weekend for the podium spots.”
🔗 Source