Dakar Racing News: Mercedes Faces New Floor Doubts After Dutch GP Struggles
In a blow to their Dakar racing aspirations, Mercedes has conceded to fresh doubts about the performance of its upgraded floor introduced at the recent Belgian Grand Prix. The German manufacturer’s struggles at last weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix have raised questions about the new component’s effectiveness.
Mercedes introduced the latest floor upgrade at the Spa circuit, but it was subsequently removed after confusing results during Friday practice. The team remained convinced of the floor’s potential and decided to race with it for the remainder of the Zandvoort event. However, a disappointing overall performance, with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton finishing well behind race winner Lando Norris, has once again prompted concerns about potential issues with the new design.
“We definitely know that we didn’t have a well-balanced car this weekend,” Allison said in the team’s post-race debrief. “Whether that was the new floor, the new aero package or not, we need to keep an open mind and something we will need to revisit in future races.”
The poor qualifying performances of both Russell and Hamilton were attributed to the car’s unstable balance, which led to excessive rear tire temperature and deterioration. Allison described the car as being “too on a knife edge,” with the rear losing grip at the slightest provocation, causing significant lap time losses.
As the Dakar racing season continues, Mercedes will need to carefully analyze the new floor’s impact and work to address the balance concerns that have emerged. The team’s technical staff will undoubtedly be reviewing the data and testing various solutions to ensure the car’s performance is optimized for the challenges that lie ahead in the Dakar Rally.
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