Mercedes has committed to running its new floor for the remainder of Formula 1’s Dutch Grand Prix weekend, having been unsure about its potential when first introduced in Belgium.
As part of its upgrade programme that has helped turn the W15 into a race winner, Mercedes first tried out the new floor at Spa-Francorchamps before the summer break.
However, after a troubled Friday where the team was left baffled by poor handling and a lack of straightline speed, the floor was taken off as the squad reverted to the previous well-understood specification.
That move was more about being cautious though, with the team confident from the data being delivered from its factory that the new design was an improvement even if its potential had not been unleashed immediately.
To confirm its findings, Mercedes split the specification of its cars in first practice at Zandvoort – with George Russell running the new floor and Lewis Hamilton sticking with the old one.
But with the team happy with the initial feel, and Hamilton running it without problems in FP2 as Russell took P1 in the standings, the team has seen enough to be sure the new floor is the right way to go.
Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin said that the changeable weather conditions experienced on Friday morning were not ideal for establishing a completely clear picture of how the floor was performing, but there was enough evidence from the day to be sure that sticking with it is best.
“Today was an encouraging start to the weekend,” said Shovlin. “The conditions in FP1 were particularly tricky with very strong winds and heavy rain making it difficult to get a good read on the updated floor we brought to Spa.
“Nevertheless, what we saw looks in line with expectations, so we'll continue the weekend with that fitted to both cars.”
Mercedes is bracing itself for a tough fight with closest rivals McLaren and Red Bull this weekend, with the gaps between them looking tight.
Russell said: “It was difficult out there due to the windy conditions. It is perhaps the windiest conditions I can remember driving an F1 car in over the past few years. Nevertheless, the car was performing really well and the updated floor we brought to Spa seemed to be working effectively.
“The pack at the front seems to be quite close once again. We expect to be facing another fascinating battle across the rest of the weekend for the podium spots.”
