Mercedes Prepares W17 Upgrades for United States GP

Mercedes has shed light on its recent decision-making around the W17's upgrades, emphasizing that the new front wing seen in Singapore was always intended as a trial run. Mercedes deputy team principal Bradley Lord confirmed that both Kimi Antonelli and George Russell will drive the upgraded W17 with the new front wing at the upcoming United States Grand Prix.

In Singapore, Mercedes opted for a split-spec approach; Antonelli tested the new package while Russell, dealing with a back-of-the-grid engine penalty, stuck with the old setup. This allowed the team to evaluate performance differences. The decision to revert to the previous front wing after just one practice session puzzled some, but Mercedes clarified that the new wing was only there for testing purposes.

Simone Resta, Mercedes' deputy technical director, explained on the team’s Nu Silver Arrows Radio Show that the sprint weekend format limited testing opportunities to the single FP1 session. "It's one session, it's one hour, and you normally have two sets of tyres," Resta noted. The team aimed to gather data quickly from the new front wing to inform future developments.

Mercedes' findings from Singapore suggest the upgraded package does indeed offer more downforce, although the W17 has shown a narrower operating window. Lord underscored the benefits of the FP1 test, stating it provided insights valuable for Austin, where both cars will run the new configuration. "Running that front wing in FP1 was worthwhile because it means we can hopefully hit the ground running better in Austin," Lord remarked.

Anthony Davidson, a Mercedes simulator driver and Sky F1 pundit, admitted he was unaware the new front wing was not intended for use beyond Singapore FP1. Lord elaborated that with only one wing available, any damage could have risked pit lane starts, thus it was prudent not to race it. The focus was on data collection and preparation.

With the data in hand, Mercedes is optimistic about maximizing the W17's performance in Austin. Meanwhile, Antonelli is on the brink of his first world championship win, adding extra anticipation to the United States Grand Prix.