Mercedes Motorsport Boss Haug Promising Further Development

MercedesMercedes-BenzGermany, 1924 > present197 models
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Motorsport boss Norbert Haug admits that the Formula 1 team has struggled recently, but the team is planning major development that should bring the team back next season. 

According to Haug, the team is not getting all of the benefits that it expected from its Coanda effect exhaust that bends the exhaust gases using the car's aerodynamics. 

"One is that we need to explore the Coanda exhaust. This is certainly not giving us the full benefit currently in my judgment. On the other hand, we need to do this wind tunnel program for sure," said Haug. 

Haug also says that the team needs to improve its wind tunnel testing because the testing results have not been matching the real world. The team has tried switching to larger models in hopes that it would reflect reality better. 

"We have had, and this is not an excuse, a period of one-and-a-half to two months where we changed from 50 to 60 per cent models," said Haug. 

Neither Mercedes driver have scored points since the Singapore Grand Prix, and the last time both drivers were in the points was the Italian Grand Prix in September. 

Mercedes sits in fifth in the World Constructors' Championship with 136 points. SauberSauberSwitzerland, 1970 > present21 models
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is just eight points behind them in sixth place with 124 points, and LotusLotusUnited Kingdom, 1952 > present68 models
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is in fourth place with 288 points. The team has basically given up any chance to win fourth place in the constructors' championship and is defending fifth as much as they can. 

"If people criticise us, then we fully accept it, but we have been there [winning] half a year ago, winning a race not by luck, and we're working very hard to get there again in half a year's time," said Haug. 

Source: Autosport