New Mercedes W15 rear-wing prompts intrigue ahead of F1 Saudi Arabian GP

A new Mercedes rear-wing design has broken cover ahead of this weekend’s F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

The new rear wing, which is set to debut on the W15 by Mercedes at the high-speed Jeddah circuit this weekend, was first spotted at the back of the garage by F1 journalist Albert Fabrega on Wednesday.

Mercedes’ new low-downforce rear-wing features an intriguing and extreme cut out in the middle and is designed to minimise drag and maximise top speed.

Whether or not Mercedes choose to run the specification during Thursday’s practice sessions remains to be seen, but the design has certainly raised eyebrows in the paddock.

Mercedes endured an underwhelming start to the season in last weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix, with George Russell finishing fifth and Lewis Hamilton only able to take seventh.

Both drivers were hampered by an overheating power unit due to a mistake with the cooling on the W15 which heavily compromised their performance in the race.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is hoping his side can perform closer to their “true potential” this weekend in Saudi Arabia.

“Our race in Bahrain was best described as underwhelming. We were hopeful of a stronger showing after our performance in practice and qualifying,” Wolff said.

“Both drivers were pleased with the balance earlier in the weekend, and the more stable platform provided by the W15.

“Unfortunately on Saturday evening, our cooling performance didn't match our predictions. That forced us into management mode early on, which had the knock-on impact of reducing tyre temperatures below optimum.

“That cost us the opportunity to show something closer to our true potential. It was a frustrating way to start the season but one we will learn from.”

Wolff added: “We've got an opportunity to take a step forward immediately. Jeddah is a street track with a lot of high-speed content.

“It will be good to continue our learning with the new car on a very different circuit to Bahrain. We will be aiming for a more consistent weekend and to understand our true performance relative to the rest of the grid.”

Jeddah remains the scene of Hamilton’s last F1 victory, which came in the penultimate race of the 2021 season.