Mercedes are introducing a new gearbox in their 2024, which will also be featured on Aston Martin’s AMR24. This update could bring much-needed benefits to both teams in this year’s campaign.
At the beginning of last season, Aston Martin found itself to be the closest challenger to Red Bull. Fernando Alonso capitalised on this performance, securing six podiums from the first eight weekends.
However, even at its strongest, the AMR23 had a glaring weakness.
This vulnerability was straight-line efficiency, which caused most of their deficit to Red Bull. In the first qualifying sessions of the season, it was in the speed traps that Aston Martin (alongside Mercedes) suffered their greatest losses.
Mercedes has undoubtedly lost its engine advantage from the early hybrid era, but this was not the primary issue.
As it stands, the German constructor produces either the second or third-best engine – in terms of both horsepower and electrical efficiency.
Instead, the Mercedes gearbox was the main culprit. Both Toto Wolff’s team and his Silverstone-based customer paid the price of having a gearbox which compromised top speed.
This forced both teams, but especially Aston Martin (whose design was very different from Mercedes when the year began), to add downforce via their rear wing.
While the AMR23 certainly enjoyed immense downforce levels, they were hugely compromised on the straights.
This is partly why Alonso was forced to make a series of creative overtakes en route to his Bahrain podium – lacking the speed to overtake before the braking zone.
However, this should change in 2024. Mercedes has produced a new gearbox, which will feature on both the W15 and AMR24.
Fernando Alonso (ESP) Aston Martin F1 Team AMR23.
21.10.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 19, United States Grand Prix, Austin, Texas, USA, Sprint Day.
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With the Silver Arrows now pursuing a more conventional sidepod philosophy, their improvements should translate better on the Aston Martin machine.
For Mercedes, this alteration should accomplish many goals. The first will be to better optimise their overall package, which was somewhat disjointed in 2023.
Although more conventional sidepods were introduced in Monaco, budget cap constraints prevented other major upgrades. This year, therefore, is when Mercedes will have more synergy in their overall concept.
Additionally, this should help eliminate the top-speed deficit that plagued both Mercedes and Aston Martin last season.
McLaren, who produce their own gearboxes, will not be directly impacted by these developments.
Author: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
