Mercedes revolutionizes Formula 1 by presenting Lewis Hamilton's car with pontoons in Monaco

The Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix was highly anticipated this season, as all the Formula 1 teams planned to present their novelties. Unfortunately, due to rain, the event was cancelled. Therefore, a week later, in Monaco, the new Formula 1 cars were put through their paces to assess their performance in Europe.

All eyes were on Mercedes, and the expectations of the German spectators were met. The team arrived in Monaco with a brand new car. Mercedes have made revolutionary changes to their W14 in a bid to close the gap between them and Red Bull. And yes, Mercedes' new Formula 1 car features pontoons .

Mercedes relies on the lineage of Red Bull and Aston Martin for its pontoons

Mercedes aroused general astonishment with its single-seater model for the 2022 season, which corresponded to the new regulations in force. The W13 was notable for having no sidepods and, despite only one race victory, Mercedes maintained this approach with the W14 . However, after five unsuccessful Grands Prix at Brackley, the team finally decided to back down.

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Snapshots from Monaco, just before the start of the Grand Prix, clearly show that Mercedes have opted for a sidepod configuration similar to that of the Red Bull team . Although these pontoons appear slightly wider than those of the famous energy drink, they also feature a subtle reference to the design of the first Alpines driven by Fernando Alonso.

It is possible to observe some grilles on the sidepods , as well as a slight setback at the rear of Mercedes' car, suggesting the use of the Coanda effect. Unlike the Ferrari, the Mercedes does not feature the famous characteristic "bathtub", but instead took a similar approach to Aston Martin for the car that marked their return this season.

The novelties of the new Mercedes W14 are not limited to pontoons. This flagship car also features a new floor, modified diffuser and new rear suspension . The main goal is to improve stability in slow corners, which used to cause many problems for pilots. There's no better circuit than Monaco to put that to the test.

Once at the top of Formula 1, Mercedes, a marque that reigned not so long ago, now finds itself third in the world championship, even behind Aston Martin which uses the same engines. In five races they have only managed a podium finish once , courtesy of Lewis Hamilton in Australia, and that could seriously shake the patience of the seven-time champion.

Time will tell if the new Mercedes W14 will allow Hamilton , as well as George Russell, to regain their position as fighters for victory in Formula 1.