Mercedes fight the tyres

Ever since Pirelli returned to the sport in 2011 Mercedes have struggled with tyre issues. It seems inherent in the design of their cars and it just can’t be removed. It’s not a bad thing to be able to heat your tyres up quickly and get them in the operating temperature quickly, on occasions over the last 2 seasons, that’s been a distinct benefit especially when it comes to one lap pace.

But too often these past few years a good starting position has been totally compromised by the tyres falling apart on them despite various attempts to alleviate the issue. I’ve lost count of just how many technical directors and other personnel Mercedes have hired over the past year with still more to come, so to have ended up with pretty much the exact same problem that has plagued them for several years is totally unacceptable.

Team principal Ross Brawn is aware of the issue, and despite what appears to be Mercedes moving into a new management position with the hirings of Toto Wolf, Niki Lauda (in the managerial side) and Paddy Lowe (on the technical side) amongst many others, I still think it is in Brawn they should trust.

I’m not exactly sure why they appear to be undermining Brawn, it certainly comes across that way at least, but he is still one of the most successful people in Formula 1 and he will get it right; all past evidence points to that. Although the fact that Mercedes feel the need to have appointed these new technical people points to the fact the board don’t feel they’re being successful quickly enough.

There’s no doubt they can design a quick car, this year’s is awesomely fast, while last years could also show a decent turn of speed. But it is in tyre management where a new design philosophy is needed. Lewis Hamilton was left baffled after yesterday’s drop down the grid.

He said "Today I was doing absolutely everything the same as I did in Bahrain. But I had no grip, I couldn't push, and if I did, the tyre just went off immediately. I'm absolutely lost today. I don't know what went wrong."

It is exactly the reverse of the last race in Bahrain. There Lewis managed the tyres well enough to secure 5^th while Nico Rosberg started from pole position and plummeted down the order.

In Spain they locked out the front row with Nico again on pole, but this time Lewis just dropped like a stone while Rosberg managed to maintain a degree of respectability.

Afterwards when being interviewed by Sky when asked if they were looking forward to Monaco, they both replied they weren’t even thinking about the next race, usually that’s the stock answer whatever the result, but perhaps they can’t bear to think about another race of trying to drive conservatively and still falling down the pack.

In Monaco it should be different, last year Rosberg finished second while Michael Schumacher set the fastest qualifying lap. Tyre degradation shouldn’t be as much of an issue and given that Mercedes seem to produce good traction they might just be in with a shout of victory.

It’s one they’ll have to take as there are plenty of other places left where tyres will be critical and they look no nearer to sorting out the problem after three weeks of trying to find a solution between Bahrain and Spain. Championship contenders they are not, but race winners they certainly should be if they can make the tyres last for at least one race.

As a side note, Nico Rosberg has been impressive this year. Lewis Hamilton has come into the team with the reputation of the fastest driver in Formula 1 and Rosberg has more than held his own so far, he’s set pole at the last two races.

It is still early days and Lewis does have double the points of Nico although that can be explained through unreliability on Rosberg’s car but Damon Hill made an interesting point during Sky’s Spanish Grand Prix coverage. He said it puts Schumacher’s performances in a new light.

Schumacher out qualified Rosberg an equal amount of times last year, while also often out racing him. If Rosberg can continue to look good alongside Hamilton then perhaps a re-evaluation of just how successful Schumacher was in his comeback is due.

However, like I said it’s still early days and Lewis is in a new team and may come to dominate Rosberg, but so far Nico is enhancing is reputation and by dint of that re-enhancing Schumacher’s. It’s at least an interesting perspective.

all photo's from autosport.com