Mercedes has 'new components' to help solve gearbox issues

Mercedes will tackle this weekend's Styrian Grand Prix with new components destined to help it solve the gearbox issues that threatened its drivers' race last weekend at the Red Bull Ring.

The German outfit's pair of Black Arrows were the class of the field in qualifying and at the outset of last Sunday's race, but both winner Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton were eventually forced to exercise caution and steer clear of the circuit's prominent kerbs when a gearbox-related gremlin crept in.

"The result of the first race looks good on paper, but the reality is that we were fortunate to finish the race," said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff in the team's Styrian Grand Prix preview.

"Reliability caused us real concern and it is something we are working on as our highest priority.

"Our main problems were with the electrical components of the gearbox, caused by the aggressive kerbs in Spielberg.

"We first noticed the issue on Friday and immediately started working on mitigations for the next races, both at the factory and at the track.

"We will run new components this weekend to improve the situation."

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But new components won't necessarily equate to a quick fix warns Mercedes’ head of strategy James Vowles.

"We know that if we don’t get on top of these issues it will be a problem again in just a few days’ time," Vowles said. "And the reality behind it is that it is a problem that could have cost one or both cars the opportunity to finish the race on Sunday. Equally, it’s a complex problem.

"If it was something straightforward, we would have done our best to fix it last week and clearly we didn’t.

"All we know right now is there are electrical elements of the gearboxes that are suffering, and we need to do more in order to get them through a grand prix."

If Mercedes' drivers are required to help mitigate the issue by avoiding Spielberg's kerbs, Hamilton and Bottas could be in for a rough time come Sunday.

"The reality behind it is that the Austrian circuit is very, very aggressive, especially with the kerbs," added Vowles.

"It puts a lot of load into the suspension members and into the car. You have to use the kerbs in order to get the lap time out of it, but those kerbs are also generating a lot of vibrations in the car and a lot of load in the car.

"The issue itself in the gearbox is electrical by nature and the reality behind it is we now have a few days to get on top of this issue."

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