The question marks over Mercedes' drastic changes
Mercedes struggled - by its standards - at 2019's first test and then turned up in the second week with a dramatically different car. There was no chance it could have turned around that upgrade in a weekend, so this strategy was obviously planned. But why, and what could it mean for the season?
Change is a constant of Formula 1. Across the two pre-season tests, there have been plenty of updates and new additions to dissect on the surgeon's table, as the trackside engineers carefully analyse their designs' benefits, determine whether they operate as they should or whether more work is needed.
And in the past, teams with less resource have had to roll out the previous year's car for one last time, making the requisite modifications and using it as a test mule before the actual car hits the road.
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