Troubled Mercedes Spa floor will not return in F1

The troubled Spa floor, which triggered some uncertainties for Mercedes, looks set to never return to action in Formula 1.

Just before the summer break, Mercedes brought an upgraded floor to the Belgian Grand Prix that it hoped would lead to another form improvement in 2024.

However, after some confusing behaviour with the car in practice as the team experimented with set-ups, the German manufacturer removed it for the race as Lewis Hamilton went on to take an unexpected triumph.

Despite the troubles of its Spa debut, Mercedes was convinced that the new floor was a step forward in performance so committed to bringing it back into action.

It conducted back-to-back experiments with the new floor at both the Dutch and Italian Grands Prix, eventually concluding that it was indeed better and so raced with it.

However, following some relatively disappointing performances in those races compared to how strong Hamilton and George Russell had been before the summer break, Mercedes elected not to take the floor to Baku last weekend to evaluate how the W15 performed without it.

But, with the squad still enduring a weekend of fluctuating fortunes where its performance patterns are not totally clear, it has elected to stick with the old floor for Singapore again this weekend. It is understood that the situation has also been encouraged by its spare parts situation and the logistics of back-to-back races.

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15

Photo by: Dom Romney / Motorsport Images

And now, as work at the factory is focused on a new upgraded floor that is coming for the United States Grand Prix, it means the Spa floor will be consigned to history unless the Austin design proves to be a total flop.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said that the balance problems that the team has faced recently with the W15 seem to be common with both the old and new floor.

Speaking about what happened in Baku with the old floor, Wolff said: “We still suffered from the same balance performance that we have on the new floor. So in Singapore, we still have the same one.

“We need to race that. But, from Austin onwards, we would probably go to a new spec.”

Speaking about the Austin upgrades that were coming, trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin said this week that the step would be quite big.

“Well as you know the spec of the car is always evolving, we're always trying to bring performance every race,” he explained.

“But, at the moment, our main focus is on bringing a bigger package to Austin. Then we get into the final six races of the year and there will be smaller things beyond that.

“But certainly what we're working for at the moment is a bigger update to the car at the Austin race.”

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