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Valtteri Bottas lost count of how many set-up items Mercedes has tried between Formula 1 races as it bids to unlock the “huge potential” in its 2021 car.
Mercedes won the season opener with Lewis Hamilton pipping Red Bull’s poleman Max Verstappen in a tense battle, but the world champion team believes its W12 is battling a clear deficit to the RB16B.
A rear instability issue that dogged Hamilton and Bottas in testing was partially cured in Bahrain but the low-rake Mercedes concept has been hit harder by the rule changes that have reduced performance at the back of the floor.
Hamilton said after the Bahrain GP that Mercedes had a significant amount of work to do to match Red Bull, which Bottas agrees with but insists “it’s still a fast car with huge potential”.
Bottas is hopeful a substantial simulator session pays off swiftly at this weekend’s Imola round.
“I actually went between the races to Brackley, to the simulator, tried to work on the set-up, trying to find answers, trying to help the team as much as I can really and unlock the performance,” said Bottas.
“I lost the count on how many set-up items we tried in the simulator! But at least coming here, I think we have a good toolbox to choose from.
“But it’s not like a couple of years ago, that you could go in all the time and for few days in a row, etc.
“Within the restrictions, within the situation, we’re trying to make most out of it, and it’s same for the team. They are really restricted on the development time.
“So, efficiency, and planning is really the key. I’m really keen to see what this year is going to bring to us and how it’s gonna end up, it’s a really exciting year ahead.”
Those restrictions are a reference to movement of personnel being limited with COVID-19 quarantines in place amid the ongoing pandemic, and the financial and sporting restrictions imposed on teams this year.
With a budget cap in place, reduced development time, and a 2022 car to build to all-new regulations, teams have to decide whether they sacrifice 2021 development work or risk compromising their ’22 machines to boost their chances this season.
Bottas said that means the rate of development this year is simply going to be less but he believes Mercedes can make good gains just by better understanding and optimising its existing package.
“There’s less time in the windtunnel, less time with engines in the dyno, everything,” said Bottas. “There’s things that are much more based on simulations.
“I still believe we can catch them. I believe from the feeling that I have in the car that there’s more to unlock from it.
“If we can get the balance right, if we can get the car a bit more drivable, the through-corner to be better, I think with really understanding and fine tuning the setup already there’s still more to come.
“And 23 races is a long time to learn about the package and to develop it even with the restrictions.
“It just means we need to be more efficient than the other teams. We know that Red Bulls normally are normally good on in-season development, but we need to try and outpace them one way or another.
“I fully believe in it, seeing the motivation the team has.”
This weekend’s race at Imola is an interesting test as so far the 2021 cars have only been run in anger in Bahrain, which hosted the short three-day pre-season test and the opening round.
Imola’s high-speed layout will test Mercedes’ theory that it has a lasting weakness in those corners but Bottas is curious to evaluate different circuit characteristics, like the grippier but less abrasive surface in Italy.
He also says Mercedes is aware it cannot afford errors like the botched pitstop that hurt his grand prix in Bahrain, given it is currently the underdog.
“That was definitely not a perfect race and not what we wanted to achieve in Bahrain,” he admitted.
“And it was a shame because otherwise the pace was quite OK, still not as good as Red Bull but with that slow pitstop all the chances to fight for the win were gone.
“There was a quick, and good reaction to the mistake and analysis of what happened and we’ll try to make sure that never happens again.
“We live and learn, we make mistakes but this year it could be more crucial to not do any mistakes. We’re definitely on it.”
