Mercedes F1 hoping new Imola upgrades push team ‘in the right direction’

Feature image credit: Mercedes F1

Mercedes are hopeful their new upgrades will push the team ‘in the right direction’ ahead of the Formula 1 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, in Imola. 

It has not been the best start for Mercedes, in 2024, as the Brackley-based team sit fourth in the constructors championship with 64 points to their name.

One-quarter of the season has now been completed as the sport heads into its European leg with the first race in Imola since 2022, following the devastating floods which cancelled last season’s race. 

Minus a second-place finish for Lewis Hamilton in the Chinese Sprint Race, the team have failed to knock on the door for a podium position in the main Grand Prix races. 

However, the team are hopeful that their fortunes can be turned around from Imola with the rest of their upgrades being brought in this weekend, the first of which was brought in at Miami. 

Mercedes Team Principal, Toto Wolff states the team have ‘a clear understanding’ of where they need to improve but isn’t expecting immediate results. 

“The first six races have not been straightforward, but we have built a clear understanding of where we need to improve and shaped a clear path forward to tackle that,” said Wolff ahead of the Imola race.

“It will be several races before we see this bear fruit, but everyone is working hard to bring them as soon as is possible. In the meantime, we will be looking to maximise the package we have. 

“We are bringing some more updates to Imola and hopefully they push us in the right direction.”

2024 stands as the first full season with traditional sidepods on the Mercedes car, since they were brought back in at Monaco last season. 

However, the team have been on the backfoot and they have endured a painful start to the year.

Compared to the opening six races in 2023, Lewis Hamilton was the leading Mercedes driver in the standings with fourth place. In 2024, George Russell is the team’s top driver with his current seventh place in the standings. 

In contrast, the team itself were third and knocking on the door for second, one point behind Aston Martin. This season, they’re comfortably fourth, 60 points off McLaren – in third.

According to Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes Trackside Engineering Director, the team are set to drip more upgrades over the next coming races. 

 “We’ve got a very clear idea of what we need to do to the car to get it handling a bit more easily for the drivers, making sure it goes where they want it to go when they’re on those important qualifying laps,” said Shovlin on Mercedes’ Akkodis Race Debrief. 

“We’ve also got quite a good thread of updates that will be coming over the next three or four races.”

Read more Formula 1 here:

• Albon extends his F1 stay with ‘multi-year contract’ at Williams
• Norris secures maiden win at F1 Miami Grand Prix
• Verstappen snatches sixth consecutive pole of 2024 in Miami GP
• Verstappen claims back-to-back sprint wins ahead of Leclerc and Perez
• Verstappen claims Miami GP sprint pole as Norris falters
• Visa Cashapp RB bring vibrant one-off livery to F1 Miami GP

Give us a follow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to keep up with the latest news from the world of Motorsport! You can also support us on Patreon or on our website!

Kamron Kent

Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.

I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.

Kamron Kent

Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.