Formula 1 Rumors

F1: Mercedes uses filming day to test upgrades for Barcelona

Posted by AR1 staff

The Mercedes F1 team used a filming day with the W13 at Paul Ricard, which reportedly sported the upgrades the team were planning on introducing at Barcelona this weekend.

The filming day took place behind closed doors in France on Wednesday with George Russell behind the wheel as confirmed by the team below.

Italian journalist Giuliano Duchessa reported that Mercedes found progress had been made in their limited running too, claiming a new rear wing configuration and updated power unit being brought to Spain has seen them make a modest improvement of 3-4kph in straight-line speed.

Extra upgrades are also in the pipeline for the reigning Constructors’ champions for Barcelona, with the chief aim of trying to control Mercedes’ porpoising issues that have plagued them since the start of the season.

But despite being “specialists in bouncing”, in the words of team boss Toto Wolff, Russell remains confident that once Mercedes solve the underlying issues in their car, they can be far closer to the front.

“I think we can find chunks and chunks of lap time if we can just find that killer key to get it in that perfect spot,” he said, per the Express.

“I’m not sure if that will be the next race but the guys are working day and night back at the factory and we all believe we can.

“We have to stick to our guns, keep pushing down this direction. It will be a number of races before we say we have to go a different way, but I believe in them.”

Ferrari

Also, according to the same Italian journalist, Ferrari used a filming day at Monza last Friday to test an upgraded rear wing and an updated floor.