Mercedes trackside engineering director, Andrew Shovlin admits that the team was aware that the W13 was likely to be a dud almost from the outset. The German team had adopted a radical ‘zero-sidepod' approach this year, and this, combined with an approach to the rules overhaul which resulted in its cars being the most susceptible to 'porpoising' resulted in a season in which it was only in the latter stages that it became a true force. Indeed, it was at the penultimate race of the season that the reigning champions secured their only win of the year. Andrew Shovlin has admitted that the team was aware it was facing a tough year as early as that first demo run in mid-February. 'The...
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