TECH DRAFT: RED BULL EXPOSING MERCEDES PU VULNERABILITY?

The Mercedes 106/M power unit series has been the standout performer in the Formula 1 World Championship throughout the turbo hybrid era post 2013, but it appears that its vulnerabilities may have been exposed this year, making it the first serious challenge to ever face during this period.

Until the 2021 season the Mercedes PU had the lowest out of allocation usage and engine penalty per driver out of any other PU supplier in the current specification era. Nevertheless, in a year of comparative status quo, as far as PU development is concerned, PU element usage tables for this season clearly demonstrate a change in that trend.

The current PU element usage chart for the season obviously indicates that Bottas is already on his 5^th unit for the season, and Latifi his 4^th, but what it does not demonstrate is that out of the remaining Mercedes powered drivers, having suffered ICE failure at Zandvoort, Vettel is down to a usable pool of 2 units and will need a 4^th at some stage due to straightforward mileage, as will Russell who took on his 3^rd unit as far back as the Austrian Grand Prix, and both McLaren and Aston Martin expect to be taking penalties for using a 4^th unit for Norris, Ricciardo and Stroll respectively in the near future.

What the chart also fails to tell, is what may be one of the most important factors in the path towards a potential 8^th Word Drivers' Championship for Lewis Hamilton, because rest assured, he will take a 4^th PU with the grid penalty that comes with it before this season is concluded.

Remember FP2 at Zandvoort, when Hamilton stopped out the back of the circuit because of oil starvation concerns? Well, not only were there concerns, but the ICE indeed failed at approximately 5000km life and Hamilton has contested the balance of the season to date with a pool of 2 PU’s, both of which are already well used.

Well known and respected German publication Auto Motor und Sport has reported on Red Bull claims of knowledge of crank and valve seat issues with the Mercedes PU when under higher loading in the latter stages of their duty cycles.

As it is well known, the Red Bull Powertrains recruiting drive has resulted in many Mercedes High Performance Powertrains staff joining the new Honda derived PU supplier. It only seems logical that information about the Mercedes PU’s duty cycle and vulnerabilities would become known to Red Bull at some level of detail.

Indeed, as it has done so for decades, that is how F1 works.

Some believe that unusual or dominant periods of success can expose vulnerability and it seems that Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko agrees, telling Auto Motor und Sport, “Mercedes used to have an easy time of it. They accelerated the first couple of laps in the race and then ran the engines in overdrive. That is no longer possible. Now you have to drive more often and longer in a higher mode. And then the problems come”

When Hamilton takes his 4^th PU for the season is unknown at the moment, but given his team mate has already taken a 5^th, the mileage on the 2 units in his useable pool is not low, and with 7 rounds of this season remaining, whether he needs a 5^th unit as well, seems to be a reasonable question.