BETTER PARTSAccording to Mercedes team boss Wolff, this year's F1 car can be thrown in the trash
Although Hamilton thinks it would be a shame to throw the W14 in the bin
Apart from a few minor changes in the regulations, not much will change about the F1 cars in 2024. This makes it difficult for the challengers of Red Bull Racing to get closer to Verstappen and Pérez. What will the winning strategy be: build on the existing car or come up with a completely new concept? Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff opts for the latter option.
Toto Wolff made it clear a few days ago how he feels about the match. The team boss tells Motorsport.com that the Mercedes W14 ends up 'in the trash', even when it is really fast. By the trash can they mean that they will start with a new design for next year. The Mercedes W14 still too often turns out to be a 'box of surprises'. Wolff does say that the team will use the knowledge of the W14 for the new car.
Lewis Hamilton looks at it exactly the other way around. The driver told the same motorsport platform: 'Of course we won't throw the car in the trash. These cars are masterpieces'. Hamilton attaches sentimental value to the W14. “Two thousand people worked so hard to build these [cars] and they will continue to be part of our history and our learning curve.”
Shift the focus to 2024
So far, Mercedes has not won a race this season. The last time the team did not win was in 2011. To give you an idea: Max Verstappen was still in the karts at the time. Russell and Hamilton are performing better and better this year. Whether this is due to the further development of the W14 or not: it is in any case a positive sign for the team from Brackley.
Mercedes will have already discussed internally whether the W14 should be thrown in the trash or not. In August, technical director Mike Elliot announced that the F1 team has shifted its focus to the 2024 car. Red Bull also previously admitted that the focus has no longer been on 2023 since July, but on 2024. We understand in the case from both teams.