Mercedes is still having problems with the ongoing development of its 2010 car.
Although the German marque’s focus has already switched to the design of a better car for next year, Mercedes recently introduced a blown diffuser that has been troublesome.
At recent races, the hot fumes were burning and distorting the diffuser shape, and improvements were brought to Spa-Francorchamps for this weekend’s event.
"Our developments have worked better here than in past races," said Michael Schumacher on Saturday to Auto Motor und Sport.
But team boss Ross Brawn is less upbeat.
"We are still having problems with the diffuser with heat. It’s still not working the way we want it to, which is a little frustrating," he admitted.
Schumacher’s more buoyant mood, given his very low grid starting place for his favourite Belgian GP, may be explained by the fact that he has written off 2010 and is hopeful about the W01’s successor.
"It is true that the same people who built this car are building the next one, but it is also true that these people made the 2009 car, which won the championship," said the German.
Teammate Nico Rosberg thinks another factor contributed to the 2010 anomaly for Mercedes GP.
"We mustn’t forget that Mercedes developed this car with about 400 people, while Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren still have 800 or more.
"But over the winter, these teams have to follow suit because of the agreed personnel cap. So that’s an advantage for us," Rosberg said in an interview with Frankfurter Rundschau.