The engineering director of Mercedes, Andrew Shovlin, has revealed how the team prepares its drivers for unforeseen race situations, including the use of secret codes to anticipate possible neutralizations during races. This system was key in Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s victory at the Spanish Grand Prix.
At the moment the yellow flag was shown to stop Lance Stroll’s car, Antonelli reduced his speed in corners 18 to 20, losing more time than his rivals, such as the race leader, Lando Norris, and Max Verstappen, who was closely following him. This maneuver was determinative for his strategy.
After the race, the Italian explained that his race engineer, Peter Bonnington, had warned him about the possibility of a Virtual Safety Car (VSC), which led him to deliberately slow down to take advantage of the neutralization before entering the pits.
Secret codes at Mercedes
In a recent podcast, Shovlin stated that Mercedes uses secret codes to communicate potential situations such as the appearance of safety cars. ‘We use codes that change every week to prevent other teams from knowing them,’ he explained. This tactic gave Antonelli the opportunity to react more quickly to the race situation.
At the moment of the yellow flag, Antonelli gained an essential second, thus facilitating a more coordinated entry into the pits. The mechanics were prepared with the tires, allowing the team to execute a double stop, with Antonelli and George Russell.
Preparations before the race
Teams, including Mercedes, request to meet with drivers on Sunday morning to review race strategies and possible scenarios such as accidents or the appearance of safety cars. Precision in communication and coordination are fundamental, especially when time margins are so tight. In this case, only 15 seconds passed from the declaration of the VSC until Antonelli entered his box.
Shovlin concluded that this careful preparation is what differentiates the great teams. At Mercedes, every moment counts and having a clear plan is vital to react to the changing circumstances of the race.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
