Wolff shares Mercedes ‘hope’ for Hamilton and Russell after drastic W15 changes

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Toto Wolff says Mercedes ‘hope’ the drastic changes to their W15 Formula 1 car for the 2024 season gives Lewis Hamilton and George Russell a car that they ‘enjoy driving’.

Engineers at the Silver Arrows’ base in Brackley created the W15 as a ‘complete relaunch’ of its problematic predecessors. Mercedes have now completely ditched the zero-pod concept they adopted for the start of F1’s latest ground effect regulations in 2022 and kept for 2023.

Mercedes have now moved toward the aerodynamic foundations that Red Bull embraced to vast success. The W15 sports heavily undercut sidepods, with the surface angled downward towards the rear. Red Bull used the design principles to win 21 of the 22 Grand Prix in 2023.

Mercedes launch the W15, their last car for Lewis Hamilton

Expectations for the W15 are being kept in check with Mercedes creating a completely new car for Hamilton and Russell. It will also be the last Mercedes car that Hamilton drives after signing a multi-year contract with Ferrari. He will replace Carlos Sainz in Maranello in 2025.

Hamilton has been with Mercedes since 2013 and has won six of his record-equalling seven F1 drivers’ championships yet. The 39-year-old has also won 82 of a record 103 Grand Prix, taken 78 of a record 104 pole positions and penned 148 of a record 197 podiums with them.

But Hamilton is without a win since the 2021 Saudi Arabian GP. While Russell has so far only won the 2022 Sao Paulo GP since F1 embraced new ground effect regulations. So, Mercedes hope the W15 takes them back to the front and a position to threaten Red Bull’s dominance.

Toto Wolff outlines the Silver Arrows ‘hope’ for the W15

A more immediate desire for Wolff, however, is just to deliver Hamilton and Russell an F1 car in the W15 that the Mercedes duo can ‘enjoy driving’. The Silver Arrows’ team principal says their new challenger is ‘very different’ to the W14. But all the changes leave question marks.

“The car is very different, not only on the aerodynamic surfaces but mainly underneath,” he has told BBC Sport. “There are many mechanical changes. We hope it will transfer into more predictability and a car the drivers can really push.”

Wolff added: “The target is to do a good job, look inwards, try to have the car on track that is predictable and has lots of downforce and do a solid job and deliver on our targets, to give a car to Lewis and George that they enjoy driving and not as difficult as the previous years.

“Hopefully, in Bahrain in a week’s time, we will have more good feedback than bad.”

Formula 1 descends on Sakhir for the sole pre-season test between February 21 and 23. The Bahrain International Circuit also hosts the first round of the season, with the Bahrain GP on March 2. Hamilton finished the 2023 Bahrain GP in P5, with Mercedes teammate Russell P7.