Mercedes’ W15 Mimics Red Bull, Claims F1 Expert as Toto Wolff Breaks Down “Complete Relaunch”

Mercedes shocked the world when they revealed the W15 with a step back on the black that represented them over the years. The Silver Arrows had a difficult season in 2023, with zero wins. But with the W15, Toto Wolff seems confident about the car based on the wind tunnel results.

Many changes to the livery were noticed during the car launch, and it looks like the iconic Silver Arrow is back. Along with a change in the livery, there have been reports of the car being half a second faster. But now the question stands: how did Mercedes pull this off?

Is the W15 based on the Red Bull car?

After the car launch, there have been many rumors about the W15 taking inspiration from the rivaling Red Bull car. Craig Scarborough brought this up, dropping an in-depth analysis comparing the two vehicles. The analysis on X showcases all the changes by explaining how the car is similar to Red Bull’s machine.

The post explains how the W15 has a unique ‘zeropod’ design where the radiators are positioned inward. This shift moved everything else lengthwise, creating a forward-seating position, which Lewis Hamilton has stated not to like. On the other hand, Red Bull has a shorter and broader fuel tank, which enables them to push the cockpit backward. Mercedes is thought to have followed a similar path to the W15. While the maximum wheelbase for F1 cars is fixed, teams can choose a shorter wheelbase at the expense of losing floor area.

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During the car launch, Wolff was asked “Toto, just in terms of the process, what’s it been like watching this car come together?” To this, the Mercedes Boss replied, “Yeah, it’s been amazing. I can’t remember all of us being so interested in finally starting the car up, firing it up, and seeing how it is. And realizing this is a complete relaunch of a car.”

He explained: “It is very different, not only on the aerodynamic surfaces but mainly underneath. There are so many mechanical changes that we have done, which we hope are going to translate into more performance, more predictability, a car that the drivers can really push.”

Red Bull is in another league and Toto Wolff acknowledges it

Toto Wolff shared his excitement about unveiling the new Mercedes F1 car at the car launch. The team has worked hard on this car, according to Wolff, and seeing the ideas come to reality made him happy. With the car reveal, he mentions that seeing the car the team has worked on in person makes him happy while explaining the color scheme followed.

He talks about how last year was challenging because they struggled with the new rules but still did pretty well, finishing second in the team standings. But with Max Verstappen’s lead over the other drivers, Toto said that this year, he plans on competing against teams like Ferrari and McLaren as the teams are on equal footing.

That being said, do you think Mercedes will have what it takes to take home GP victories? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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