FIRST LOOK: Reshaped Mercedes sidepods break cover at Belgian GP

Amid their ongoing push to close the gap to runaway championship leaders Red Bull, Mercedes have brought new updates to their revised W14 car for the final race before the F1 summer shutdown. 

Images of a new sidepod inlet design were captured as the car was put together in the garage on Thursday in the Spa-Francorchamps paddock. 

Mercedes has reshaped the sidepod cooling inlet for this weekend.#AMuS #F1 #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/e1C7azBl8O

— Tobi Grüner (@tgruener) July 27, 2023

This marks a significant update to Mercedes’ sidepod philosophy, which was changed altogether as part of a much bigger upgrade package introduced earlier this year in Monaco. 

Mercedes’ updated sidepod features a more rounded air inlet and more aggressive downwash, as well as a concave lower surface which is designed to increase outwash near the rear floor edge. 

These changes are in addition to a new low-downforce rear wing that is circuit specific to Spa. 

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff confirmed the German manufacturer would be bringing updates to Belgium earlier this week, while Lewis Hamilton also referenced them in Thursday’s press conference.