Source:REUTERS/CARLA CARNIEL
[Saba Sports News] Williams team principal James Vowles believes that, among all the customer teams using Mercedes power units, Williams is in the best position to maximize the benefits from this partnership. He feels that, compared to other customers, Williams has a more evident inherent advantage in digesting and integrating the Mercedes engine.
Vowles pointed out that Mercedes usually performs strongly during major regulatory overhauls, excelling at quickly integrating complex systems into a stable and efficient whole. This is one of the key reasons behind their reliable performance in the Barcelona test runs. However, the situation among customer teams is not entirely the same. Vowles believes that the Alpine team, which transitioned from developing their own engine to a customer model, inherently faces a longer learning curve. While McLaren also uses the Mercedes engine, there are still technical synergies that distinguish them from Williams.
Records show that the collaboration between Williams and Mercedes dates back to 2014, and over a long period of working together, they have established a highly mature working method. In addition to the power unit itself, Williams also directly uses Mercedes’ gearbox, which smooths the overall integration of the car and reduces the development costs between systems.
In my opinion, this deep integration makes it easier for Williams to refine their car in the early stages of the new regulations, providing a clear direction for subsequent development.