Behind-the-wheel of the W15 will be race drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
“We’ve learnt and grown as a team over the past two seasons,” George commented. “It’s not been plain sailing, but I truly believe the journey we’ve been on will make us stronger in the long run. The whole team has been working incredibly hard and we hope to have made a step with the W15,” he continued.
“The learnings of the past two years have helped us find our direction,” Lewis added. “It’s enabled us to find our north star. It’s still going to be a work in progress, but we will face whatever challenges present themselves with our heads up, with open minds, and work through diligently.”
Dialling out the inconsistent performance of the W14 and its sometimes spiteful rear-end has been a key technical focus. Both George and Lewis are clear on the rewards that could bring if the team has been able to do so.
Lewis explained: “If you’re not comfortable with the car, you’re not able to extract the maximum performance. A more stable, more predictable car will enable us to extract the potential from not only the car, but ourselves as drivers.”
“We made progress with some of the nastier characteristics of the W14 throughout last year. But we still had a narrow operating window and, once we were outside of that, the car was difficult to drive. If we can continue to widen the operating window of the car, that will provide confidence for us as a drivers and from there, lap time is easier to find,” George added.
The work the team has put in over the past two years has been an inspiration for both George and Lewis.
“F1 is an incredibly difficult sport. It’s very hard to win. And that’s why we love it. Every woman and man at Brackley and Brixworth is so focused on getting to the top. We continue with that focus and dedication into 2024 and I’m excited to see where that takes us,” George said.
Lewis continued: “I know what this team is capable of. I am incredibly grateful for the work of every single person in this team. Every time you’re in the factory, you can see the sheer drive and determination of everyone. We are all mega-motivated for the year ahead and will be giving it everything we’ve got on the journey ahead.”
Providing cover for Lewis and George will be Reserve Drivers Mick Schumacher and Fred Vesti. Mick continues in the role he held in 2023, whilst Fred steps up to this position following his graduation from the Junior Programme.
Teamwork with HPP
Another key contributor on the journey described by Lewis and George is Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP). Despite being limited to only reliability upgrades of the Power Unit, Brixworth has been focused on delivering every millisecond of performance possible under the regulations.
“We’ve worked incredibly closely with our team-mates in Brackley,” Hywel Thomas, Managing Director of HPP explained. “We all have our piece of the jigsaw we are responsible for. We’re always looking at how we maximise our part, but also how we work together to create the strongest possible package. Despite the homologation of the Power Unit, there’s still performance we can bring.”
This can be found through the efficient integration of the Power Unit each year to the chassis and gearbox. Or the work on the dyno ahead of testing, to ensure mileage is maximised once the W15 hits the track.
“We are focused on providing the highest performing, but also the most reliable product we can. This year, reliability is arguably even more important that in 2023.”
That is because of the record-breaking length of the 2024 calendar which comes in at 24 races.
“It’s quite a big challenge,” Hywel admitted. “We know that not finishing races is detrimental to your points scoring so it’s a huge focus. The change to the regulations to ensure we still have four Power Units across the season is helpful. But we know that with the longest calendar in F1 history, our ability to create the most reliable and performant product possible will still be tested.”
The current generation power unit homologation, including reduced dyno hours, are designed to afford the space for manufacturers to look ahead to 2026. That is a challenge that HPP is thoroughly enjoying.
“To have a rule set that has attracted new manufacturers, and has a clear real-world relevance, is excellent,” concluded Hywel. “It’s a chance to showcase our talent, our innovative approaches, and the possibilities the sport can bring. It’s great, and people walk around with smiles on their faces as they tackle this project.”
The Next Step
The W15 gets its first laps at Silverstone later today. From there, the focus turns to Bahrain.
Toto said: “We’re intrigued to see how the car will perform. We hope to have solved some of the inherent problems and we will get our first indications of the progress we’ve made during pre-season testing. From there, we will understand more about the challenge that is ahead of us. There are no crystal balls in this sport. But we will at least know the gap we are aiming to close down. Our ambition is strong and we’re ready to get going.”
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