Mercedes had a "weather spy" in Melbourne

      In changeable conditions, teams sometimes use observers stationed at the borders of the circuit, where they monitor the weather and report rain in order to change tires at the right moment. But Mercedes decided to send such an observer off the track.

      The idea was born on Thursday at St Kilda Beach in Melbourne, where the team was hosting an event for sponsors. It turned out that many clouds come from the southeast, and on Sunday a "weather spy" was sent to Mercedes. After the race, the team thanked him separately for his work.

      "We are grateful to the team member working on the beach in St Kilda, who informed us of the intensity and direction of the approaching rain, which allowed us to switch to intermediate tyres at the right moment," said a team spokesman.