Mercedes vs Red Bull Racing

Lore & Background

The F1 W09 EQ Power+ took eleven wins (all for Hamilton), thirteen pole positions (eleven for Hamilton and two for Bottas), ten fastest laps (three for Hamilton and seven for Bottas), eight front row lockouts and four 1–2 finishes. Hamilton clinched his fifth World Drivers' Championship at the 19th race of the season with two races to spare. The team clinched their fifth consecutive World Constructors' Championship at the 20th race of the season with one race to spare. Mercedes became only the second team in the history of F1 to achieve the feat of winning the World Drivers' Championship and the World Constructors' Championship five times in a row – an accomplishment previously only achieved by Scuderia Ferrari between 2000 and 2004.

Reader's Guide

The car was the successor of the Mercedes AMG F1 W08 EQ Power+. The philosophy continued from its predecessor, having an identical wheelbase of 3726 mm. Mercedes pushed its development in the direction of higher rake, up from 0.9 degrees to 1.2 degrees. The car was seen as competitive as the Ferrari SF71H in the 2018 Formula One World Championship. A string of developments was introduced from the start of the season, including a long titanium extension from the rear wheel hub, a revised front suspension and steering assembly, and major aerodynamics changes at the 2018 Austrian Grand Prix. The engine was completely redesigned for the 2018 championship, with a first specification used for 7 consecutive races from Australia to Canada, a second specification introduced later, and a third specification at the Belgian Grand Prix.

Did You Know?

• The car completed 1040 laps during pre-season testing, equivalent to over 15 race distances.
• George Russell set the then-outright lap record at Hungaroring during in-season testing with a time of 1:15.575.

Chassis Architecture and Aerodynamics

The Mercedes AMG F1 W09 EQ Power+ was engineered by a technical team including James Allison and Aldo Costa to compete in the 2018 championship. While retaining the same wheelbase measurement as the previous model, the design philosophy shifted towards higher rake angles, reaching 1.2 degrees. This remained shallower than competitors like the Red Bull Racing RB14, which utilized a 1.9-degree angle. Significant aerodynamic innovations were deployed throughout the season to manage airflow and downforce effectively.

Notable updates included a long titanium extension connecting the rear wheel hub to the upper wishbone, designed to clear paths for airflow between side-pods and the diffuser. Later in the year, specific components like spoon-shaped central sections with serrated trailing edges were trialled at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix to optimize drag reduction system performance without sacrificing necessary downforce during critical racing moments.

Power Unit Evolution and Reliability

Mercedes unveiled plans to redesign their power unit for continuous development leading up to the 2021 generation regulations. The M09 EQ Power+ engine featured a specific mode nicknamed "party mode," utilized primarily during qualifying sessions to deliver a single-lap performance boost over standard settings. Throughout the season, three distinct specifications were introduced to manage reliability and output levels carefully. The initial version ran from Australia through Canada, but reliability concerns delayed the second specification until the French Grand Prix, labeled as Phase 2.1. A third spec arrived at the Belgian Grand Prix for the championship's second half.

Competitive Achievements and Records

The W09 secured eleven race victories during its competitive life, all achieved by Lewis Hamilton driving for the squad. Alongside his teammate Valtteri Bottas, the duo contributed to thirteen pole positions and ten fastest laps across twenty-one rounds of racing globally. Their consistency resulted in eight front row lockouts and four 1–2 finishes for the organization. Hamilton clinched his fifth World Drivers' Championship at the Mexican Grand Prix with two races remaining on the calendar schedule. Furthermore, Mercedes secured their fifth consecutive World Constructors' Championship at the Brazilian Grand Prix event. This achievement made them only the second team in Formula One history to win both titles five times in a row, matching an accomplishment previously held solely by Scuderia Ferrari between 2000 and 2004 during their dominant period of racing supremacy.

Development Lifecycle and Testing

The car’s lifecycle began with an unofficial unveiling at Silverstone Circuit on February 22, 2018, where Hamilton and Bottas completed an inaugural shakedown run together. Following this event, the vehicle participated in pre-season testing at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya before making its competitive debut at the Australian Grand Prix opener. Development continued aggressively throughout the season to address specific weaknesses identified by engineers.

For instance, revised front suspension assemblies were implemented to solve tyre temperature issues, while major aerodynamic changes arrived at the Austrian Grand Prix involving slimmed radiator inlets. By the Singapore Grand Prix, a concave rear brake drum was introduced alongside unique wheel rim designs from Belgium to manage tyre core temperatures effectively without overheating surfaces. The car concluded its career at the 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix before retirement from competition.