Wolff reveals new Mercedes F1 concept already in the wind tunnel

Mercedes started F1 2023 in disappointing fashion as Lewis Hamilton finished a distant fifth, over 50 seconds behind eventual race winner Max Verstappen.

• Hamilton: “I told them” - Mercedes “must own up and say ‘we didn’t listen’”

While Mercedes have cured their porpoising issue, their current car simply lacks overall downforce relative to Red Bull and Aston Martin.

Reported by AMuS, Mercedes are weighing up two new concepts, although they will have to make a decision quickly to save their season.

• Wolff: “We’ve lost a year - Aston Martin took that decision, came back strong”

“It’s been done in the wind tunnel, but it’s not just about the sidepods or how the car looks from the outside,” he told ORF. 

“We have to dig into the data and decide which direction to go in.”

With there being only two more races from now until the end of April following the cancellation of the Chinese Grand Prix, teams will have a lot of time to develop and bring new upgrades.

How quickly Mercedes can introduce a new concept is unclear given that McLaren will do so in Baku on April 30.

The Woking team decided this in January - four months prior to next month’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Thus, Mercedes will have to work quickly if they’re able to introduce it for Imola in the middle of May.

“We don't throw in the towel,” Wolff told AMuS. "The budget cap will not limit us. 

• Changing Merc concept is no quick fix - just ask Aston! Bahrain talking points

“We just have to make the decision now in which direction we are going and then get the data to work.”