Will Buxton raises concerns over Mercedes upgrades ahead of Singapore

With the Singapore Grand Prix approaching, Will Buxton has raised concerns about Mercedes’ recent car upgrades. The commentator says Toto Wolff believes changes to the floor and sidepods may have cost the team as much as half a second per lap. Mercedes introduced the major changes at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. They affected almost every body surface and were intended to increase downforce at medium and high speeds.

On the Up To Speed podcast, Buxton considered whether the technical change was flawed or whether conditions unique to Malaysia had influenced its performance. “Obviously, the retirement was out of his control, but Mercedes never looked like they were in the fight,” he also said.

He explained that the team had expected to gain about three tenths of a second from the extra downforce, accepting a slight loss of straight-line speed in return for improved performance through the corners. But, Buxton said, Wolff believes Mercedes may instead have lost four or five tenths. “So, not a gain, potentially a loss,” the commentator summed up.

Buxton added that Mercedes is expected to compare the old and new specifications in Singapore. He noted, however, that the comparison will take place during a sprint weekend, with only one practice session. The tests should help establish whether the upgrade failed or whether its performance depended on the circuit.