Mercedes’ ominous mileage claim as W17 runs ‘faultlessly’

Ahead of Mercedes’ final day on track at the Barcelona shakedown, Andrew Shovlin admitted the Brackley team covered more laps on its first two days than expected.

In fact, it is rivals breaking down and causing red flags that is costing Mercedes most when it comes to lost time time on track.

Mercedes’ W17 ran ‘faultlessly’ in Barcelona shakedown

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This week the Formula 1 teams, excluding Williams, are in action at the Circuit de Catalunya for a behind-closed-doors shakedown that runs for five days, although the teams can test on three of the five.

Mercedes opted to run on Day One, one of seven teams, and then again on Day Three where it was joined by five teams, including reigning champions McLaren.

Although the times are not officially being released, reports claim Kimi Antonelli set the pace on Day Three with a 1:17.362, putting him two-tenths up on George Russell, and nine-tenths ahead of Lando Norris.

Both Mercedes drivers, Shovlin confirmed, covered a full race distance with Antonelli reportedly putting in 91 laps and Russell 92.

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Asked if Mercedes expected that level of mileage given the all-new cars and power units, the trackside engineering director told the official F1 website: “Mileage, we’re a bit ahead of where we hoped to be. So that’s good.

“You normally expect to have a few teething problems, the odd reliability thing that costs you track time.

“Today [Wednesday], the car worked faultlessly. We’re actually losing more track time from other people breaking down and causing red flags than for anything on our side. So that’s good.”

Audi and Haas both triggered the red flags during Wednesday’s action.

Mercedes’ lap count over the course of its opening two days, unofficially recorded at 333 in total, has given the team the opportunity to gather much-needed data on its all-new W17 and its power unit.

“In terms of data gathered,” Shovlin continued, “we’re getting there, but as all the electrical systems are new, there’s still quite a few issues that we’re bottoming out with collecting the data and making sure everything’s as accurate as we normally have it.

“But as I said, we had a long list of objectives and if anything we’re slightly ahead of where we expected to be on Day Two.”

The Briton was quizzed on Russell and Antonelli’s thoughts on the W17 as Formula 1 embraces a new set of technical regulations, the sport having dropped the ground-effect aerodynamic cars in favour of machinery that’s shorter, narrower, lighter, and uses active aerodynamics.

Shovlin says its a case of so far, so good, but only when he truly knows where the car stacks up against the pack will a verdict be delivered.

“They’re happy with the car,” he said of the feedback from Russell and Antonelli.

“It’s a nicer thing to drive than the previous regulations. It’s a bit lighter. It turns quite nicely for them. We’ve got a decent balance, low and high speed.

“But ultimately, whether they’re happy or not will come down to whether they’re quick or not. And I think we’ll start to see what people can do maybe on that final day.

“But you know, realistically that work is going to push into Bahrain.”

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