New aero tweeks for Mercedes in China

Technical head Paddy Lowe has said Mercedes has done its homework in the aftermath of its defeat by Ferrari in Malaysia, and will introduce a new set of aerodynamic developments at next weekend's Chinese Grand Prix.

"We've spent time analysing the weekend in Sepang to identify areas for improvement," Lowe said. "The most significant weakness was our tyre management during long runs. Exceptionally high track temperatures – even by Malaysian standards – contributed to this, however it is essential to have a car which performs at all circuits and in all conditions, so there is work to be done on that front."

Although China will obviously present its own set of challenges, Lowe isn't expecting any tyre issues, if only because of ambient temperatures which differ from Sepang. The team will therefore take any challenges it is confronted with in its stride.

"Temperatures can vary dramatically year-on-year, but are generally quite low. It's also a front-limited circuit – the opposite of Sepang – with a good mix of corners and a long straight, so it will be interesting to see how the different cars perform at yet another circuit characteristic for this new season. It is now clearer than ever that there is serious competition for this world championship, so we will continue to work flat out for performance gains."

Click here for an interesting take on putting new drivers in third cars. 

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