Mercedes delivers fresh batch of F1 car upgrades at Imola

The rear wing’s tip section has been completely overhauled as part of the redesign, with the team having already switched to a semi-detached layout for 2024.

Based on what was revealed in the Imola pitlane on Friday, it has now pushed its variant in a new direction.

The tip section still sits proud of the endplate as a small bracket raises it clear of the lower element.

However, the tip section now reaches much further down over the rolled endplate and mainplane junction.

These changes have been made in conjunction with alterations to the rear endplate cutout, with a much more sizeable chunk taken out the rear upper quarter of the endplate to help reduce the drag being generated at the wing’s tip. This has also allowed the designers to flatten out the rear portion of the tip section.

The new design should create a wider span element that works more effectively with the upper flap to generate more downforce across the wing’s entire span, and could contribute to a boost in performance when DRS is enabled too.

Mercedes F1 W15 rear detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

The W15 also features a new beam wing layout this weekend, as the team looks to have it and the new rear wing work more in concert.

It has opted for a bi-plane arrangement, with a more traditional lower element paired to an upper element that’s contorted across its span to allow the element to still be involved in generating downforce in the central section.

However, it has also clearly been mindful about how it’s offloaded as the team ensures it meets with the endplate.

Mercedes has also made changes to the forward portion of its floor, which will work in conjunction with the alterations made to its edge wing last time out in Miami.

The leading edge of the floor, the tunnel entrances volume and the shape and position of the floor fences have all been modified to improve flow through them and enable the underfloor and diffuser to work more efficiently amid varying ride heights.