Giorgio Piola's F1 technical analysis
Tech verdict: How Mercedes struck back at Suzuka
Mercedes achieved a monumental feat in Japan, becoming the first team in the sport’s history to capture six back-to-back drivers’ and constructors’ F1 World Championships. What makes this particularly impressive is that it has been able to achieve this through a sequence of regulation changes, which shows it could adapt and develop to a range of circumstances.
This season is no exception, as Mercedes had to overcome advances from its rivals during a period of regulatory flux.
The 2019 progress had been stunted since the summer break, as Ferrari enjoyed a renaissance that’s challenged the Silver Arrows at circuits that it never expected to. Keen to both maintain its development trajectory over the course of the season and overturn this resurgence, Mercedes implemented a major update for the Japanese Grand Prix.
It’s important to note that while Mercedes would have been keen to make up ground on Ferrari, the development that we’ve seen from the Silver Arrows in Japan is not something that can be achieved in a short space of time, and this was always a development waypoint in their 2019 programme. Although that’s not to say that some resource had not been shifted back to this year’s project in order to refine the package further.
Click on the arrows to scroll through the photos and captions below.
Mercedes AMG F1 W10, detail front wing
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
Mercedes AMG F1 W10 old bargeboard
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
Mercedes AMG F1 W10, Japanese GP bargeboard
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
Mercedes AMG F1 W10, Japanese GP bargeboard
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
Mercedes AMG F1 W10 floor
Photo by: Steve Etherington / Motorsport Images
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| Series | Formula 1 |
| Author | Matthew Somerfield |
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