Mercedes have retained the unique slim sidepod solution they first pioneered in 2022 on the launch version of their new W14, while most of their rivals have favouredꦍ a design similar to🌊 Red Bull’s philosophy. 

While team principal Wo🐟lff stressed the ‘zeropod’ approach was not the fundamental reason for Mercedes’ lack of performance last season, he indicated the concept will undergo changes. 

• Weight-savi𝄹ng behind Mercedes’ black F1 l𒅌ivery as ‘zeropods’ remain

“It is important to be bold in this sport and I am proud of the solutions we put on the car last year,” Wolff sa🌊id. 🤡;

“The narrow sidepod design is not somethin🐽g we believe was fundamentally the r🍨eason why we didn’t perform.

“There are no holy cows in our concept. �𓂃�It’s not that we don’t want to follow anybody’s ideas. 

“We stayed with the narrow sidepod as it, but you could see some developments from now on which could be coming with upgrades and the sidepods wil🔯l change - not very soon - but we are looking at solutions.

“But it is not a🔜 core, fundamental part of performance as we judge.”

But Wolff said Mercedes have no plans to introduce a different package at the upcoming pre-season test in B🍰ahrain, insisting the launch-spec W14 is “the car we will test and race”. 

“Last year we learned a tough lesson because we knew that we would bring an upgrade package for test number two, that was worth 1.🐎5s,” he explained. 

“You then look at the first test 🍸and think it’s not really relevant because iꦐt’s not going to be the real car.

“But we put it on the track and it wasn’t performing at🧸 all as we exp💎ected.

“So this year, we went the o🐓ther way around. What you have seen is, for a large part, the car we will test and race.

“It is fundamentally important to understand the platform and how the car be꧒haves, rather than keeping so🌼me bits in the background that may a tenth or two on pure aero performance.”