Elliott: We have no reason to abandon the old concept

Mike Elliott, technical director of the Mercedes team, explained how he and his specialists went about creating the W14, which on the one hand retained some of the characteristics of last year’s car, on the other hand it was largely improved and devoid of its shortcomings.

Q: How was the off-season for the team?

Mike Elliot: We reviewed last year’s experience and focused on areas where we believe there is room for improvement. Now we are enthusiastically preparing for the new season, because this is another chance to show what we are capable of.

In winter, work on the base is always in full swing, since the concept of an aerodynamic body kit and the model of the car’s behavior on the track require implementation in the design. In the final stage of work on the project, all components are tested, including the power plant, chassis and gearbox. Everything in the assembly should work as it should.

But now we need to see how the car behaves on a real track and what speed it is capable of.

Q: How would you characterize the approach to W14 development?

Mike Elliot: Once it became clear last year what needed to be done, we made great efforts to make some progress. Towards the end of the season you already saw an increase in results and in the winter we did something like a restart.

We did everything we wanted to do with W13 last year, but we couldn’t because we had limited resources or were doing other things.

Question: Can you name the main areas that needed attention last year but could not be addressed at the time?

Mike Elliot: Half way through last year we discovered the machine’s problem areas. They were not connected to the concepts that underpinned the design, but to the general course we had chosen. Trying to change this course too quickly could backfire, so you had to adjust the direction of development gradually.

But the consequences of this approach – the results of your actions do not appear immediately. That’s why we saw real progress towards the end of the season. I hope that this trend continues and that last year’s experience, embodied in the new car, will bear fruit.

Question: Would it be correct to give such a definition: W14 is not a revolution, but rather an evolutionary development of last year’s concept?

Mike Elliot: If last year wasn’t successful after eight consecutive winning seasons, many would expect us to rip all the blueprints to shreds and start everything from scratch, but that’s not the case. We feel that the W13 had many advantages, although there were a few things we didn’t like.

In the case of the W14, we took all the advantages of the previous model, developed them and corrected the shortcomings inherent in the W13. In Formula 1 it is important to be able to realize improvements based on your experience and knowledge, which must be confirmed by the growth of the results.

Question: What effect will the changes to the technical regulations have this year?

Mike Elliot: These changes are relatively minor. For example, raising the edges of the bottom affects the aerodynamics of the car and this effect should be optimized. There were also some structural tests that had to be passed, but it all fits into the usual spectrum of chassis design work that we do every year.

In addition, we are getting new tires this year. They affect the balance of the car and this also had to be addressed. But in general, the changes compared to last year are of course small.

Q: What can be said about the cooperation and interaction between the two Mercedes bases in Brackley and Brixworth?

Mike Elliot: Every year, the relations between the teams of the team’s two divisions are getting better. Let’s not forget last year: although the problems were chassis-related, there was never a sense of “us” and “them”. We worked together and tried to make improvements in all areas. I am very pleased that this year we are seeing the results of this close collaboration.

Q: The first race of the season is preceded by only three days of testing: could this somehow have an effect?

Mike Elliot: Last year we failed to achieve the desired balance of the machine. The problems we were trying to solve prevented us from working according to the usual schedule at the start of the season. Since only three test days are allocated this year, this could significantly affect two aspects.
First, about reliability. If the test machine does not work reliably enough, we have limited options to deal with it. In general, we still will not be able to fully assess the reliability of the car, since it is impossible to drive many kilometers in three days. To really identify problems, you have to work longer on the track.

Second, we need to make the most of these three days. It is necessary to collect as much information as possible, find out how to get the most out of the machine and understand how to apply this data when working on technical innovations.

Q: W14 looks impressive and some features seem familiar, but there are also differences from W13 – is that so?

Mike Elliot: The efficiency of this generation of machines depends on many nuances. There are many details associated with the bottom, but they are not visible to the fans. Looking at the W14 you’ll see features inherited from the W13, but there are also quite a few areas that have been significantly improved.

After all the tests and verifications we have carried out, we have not found any reasons why we should abandon the previous concept of the machine – perhaps this will surprise many. Last year’s problems, mainly related to pitching, were not related to the geometry of the W13. But if it were necessary to explain in detail exactly what we changed and why, it would become clear how much work has been done.

Question: Are you already planning to introduce technical innovations?

Mike Elliot: During the first run-in and testing we will work with this car, but the updates that we will present in the first few races are already ready. The main task for the upcoming tests is to better understand the characteristics of the machine, to reveal its potential. It is important to gather all possible information, analyze it and understand how to act to increase the speed of W14 as much as possible in the coming months.