“We are changing the concept” - Toto Wolff outlines Mercedes’ plans for 2024 F1 season

Mercedes wrapped up the 2023 F1 season finishing second in the Constructors championship. The German team hopes to chase Red Bull for the top spot in 2024, with a complete overhaul of the design concept.

Following the conclusion of the 2023 season, Mercedes F1 team boss Toto Wolff outlined the goals for the team back in Brackley. Wolff revealed that the W14's successor will not inherit any design features, with a complete overhaul of the mechanical and the aerodynamic platform.

Speaking about the 2024 season, Wolff was quoted by motorsport.com as saying:

"We are changing the concept. We are completely moving away from how we laid out the chassis, the weight distribution, the airflow. I mean, literally, there's almost every component that's being changed because only by doing that, I think we have a chance."

Mercedes started the season on the wrong foot and admitted that it went down the wrong path for the W14's design concept. It introduced various aero upgrades throughout the season, ditching its zero-sidepod concept.

However, the team couldn't build a new chassis due to cost cap restrictions and has to wait until 2024 to introduce the new concept.

Mercedes W14

Wolff retains a cautious outlook for 2024 after having failed to deliver on the expectations for the past season. He admitted that the new concept might help the team take a big step forward or it could go wrong too.

"We could get it wrong also," Wolff said. "So, between not gaining what we expect, catching up and making a big step and competing in the front, everything is possible."

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Lewis Hamilton reckons Wolff and Mercedes under huge pressure to deliver

Eight-time Constructors champions Mercedes have failed to build a competitive car since the new regulations introduced in 2022. In the meantime, Red Bull aced the regulation change and toppled the German team.

With Mercedes failing to show signs of making gains, Lewis Hamilton reckons Wolff and the entire team is under a huge amount of pressure.

"A huge amount for sure. Not just Toto but globally, all of us. Everyone back at the factory, a huge amount of pressure on them," Hamilton told motorsport.com.

"Ultimately, as a boss like Toto, you have to start leaning on people more rather than backing off on them. And how you do that is not easy, as people break at a certain point," he added.

The Silver Arrows team has already got the ground-effect regulations wrong for the past couple of seasons and is under immense pressure not to repeat the same for the third time.

Lewis Hamilton hopes positive race results in the coming season will encourage the team to take the next big step.