The Mercedes Formula 1 team had a triumphant outing at the Spanish Grand Prix, securing a double podium finish. The combination of track characteristics and an update package proved crucial to their success.

However, Mercedes engineer Andrew Shovlin cautions that they anticipate a challenging race ahead in Montreal.

“We are thinking it will be more along the lines of some of the earlier races, where we were definitely in the bunch, with Ferrari, Aston and now Alpine looked to have joined that group,” he said.

“But it’s great racing there, it will be fun and we are certainly going to be fighting to find every little bit of performance we can because the way the grid stacks up now you can be P2, P10 and there’s only a few tenths in it.

“So we are looking forward to exciting racing, but certainly we are aware that Canada is likely to be a bigger challenge than the Sunday we just had in Barcelona.

In an insightful revelation, Andrew Shovlin has cautioned against expecting dramatic breakthroughs in the team’s upgrades for the remainder of this season.

The Silver Arrows having conceded at the beginning of the season that the car in its current specification probably won’t win a race, Mercedes introduced a B-spec car at the Monaco Grand Prix.

While much attention was focused on the sidepods, the Brackley-based team has played down the significance of these changes in relation to their impressive double podium finish in Spain.

They emphasize that it’s the cohesive integration of all elements that truly matters, considering it a comprehensive package where every component must harmonize seamlessly.

By incorporating upgrades such as a new floor and enhanced front suspension, Shovlin asserts that the revamped Mercedes car has bestowed upon them a newfound sense of freedom.

Speaking to Motorsport.com, the Mercedes trackside engineer revealed: “It’s about trying to play with these geometries to influence the aero platform and try to get a little more stability in the car.”

“Probably the new geometry has given us more freedom because the problem we always had before the last end race week was to get a good front end when cornering was needed and good stability on entry when braking hard and cornering.

“This compromise was always something we couldn’t fix. You always end up with a weak rear when entering or a poor front when exiting corners. So let’s hope that these new suspensions take us in the right direction.”

Andrew Shovlin went on to state that Mercedes has diligently allocated a substantial portion of their resources to the development of the revised car, with particular emphasis on the innovative front suspension layout.

“Basically we made a new suspension and suspension is expensive to make and to fit on the car,” he said, “so the reality is that with the budget cap we are always looking at our situation in this World Championship.

“We don’t know how many things we’re going to do. I don’t expect to make any leaps and bounds.”

Nonetheless, he adamantly affirms that the investment proved to be highly worthwhile for the Silver Arrows as they strive to enhance their car’s performance and close the gap on the formidable Red Bulls.

“What we understand is that there is quite a rich development strand that we can start looking at,” he added. “So our programs are working.

“The challenge is always to get aerodynamics and vehicle dynamics to work together and optimised, and every team goes through that kind of process.

“But it’s about seeing where the opportunities are and how you can bring the two together so that they succeed to function as a single package.”

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