F1 News: Mercedes Moves Forward With Upgrade After Split Decisions in Practice Sessions

Mercedes has confirmed that it will continue using its new floor upgrade throughout the Dutch Grand Prix weekend, following a mixed performance during Friday's practice sessions.

This upgrade, which debuted at the Belgian Grand Prix, faced challenges that led the team to revert to its previous design due to handling issues and decreased straight-line speed.

During the first practice session in Zandvoort, George Russell drove the W15 with the new floor, while Lewis Hamilton used the older version.

Russell's strong performance, finishing first in practice, along with Hamilton's successful adaptation to the new floor in the second session, indicated a positive trend for the team.

Mercedes' Trackside Engineering Director, Andrew Shovlin, noted that the difficult weather conditions, including strong winds and heavy rain, complicated the assessment of the new floor's performance.

“Today was an encouraging start to the weekend. The conditions in FP1 were particularly tricky with very strong winds and heavy rain making it difficult to get a good read on the updated floor we brought to Spa.

"Nevertheless, what we saw looks in line with expectations, so we'll continue the weekend with that fitted to both cars.”

Despite these challenges, the data collected aligned with expectations, prompting the decision to equip both cars with the upgrade for the remainder of the weekend.

The team is optimistic as it prepares for tough competition from McLaren, which has introduced several upgrades, and Red Bull, which is expected to be closely matched in performance.

George Russell also commented on the day's challenging conditions:

“It was difficult out there due to the windy conditions. It is perhaps the windiest conditions I can remember driving an F1 car in over the past few years.

"Nevertheless, the car was performing really well, and the updated floor we brought to Spa seemed to be working effectively. The pack at the front seems to be quite close once again. We expect to be facing another fascinating battle across the rest of the weekend for the podium spots.”

This strategic move reflects Mercedes' confidence in its development efforts as it aims for a strong showing in the upcoming races.