Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has joked about the post-practice antics that saw the W14 hoisted high above the Monaco circuit.
Lewis Hamilton forced Free Practice 3 to come to an early close after the W14 ploughed into the barrier at Mirabeau, requiring marshals to step in and recover the car.
Cranes are used around Monaco due to its tight twist and turns making traditional recovery methods more time consuming.
Unfortunately for Mercedes, the situation meant that their newly-introduced parts were displayed for the world to see, including their floor, as the vehicle was dangled in full view of fans and teams.
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Wolff was frustrated by this situation, as it gave their rivals a chance to examine their new designs, potentially allowing an insight that wouldn’t normally be available.
“Whoever performed the crane has probably worked for Cirque du Soleil before,” Wolff told reporters.
“Honestly, that I don’t even comprehend. The car was on the road, you could have put it on it on a truck and rather [than] that you’re showcasing the car to everyone in the world. That was sub-optimum for us, to say the least.”
“Everybody’s doing the best and I don’t want to be a team principal that lashes out on stewards that are doing their job.”
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Despite the crash, Mercedes managed to repair the car in time for qualifying, allowing Hamilton and teammate George Russell to both fight for spots in Q3.
In Sunday’s race, Hamilton will line up in P6, while Russell is in P8, leaving the two of them with a challenge if they want to make it into the podium places.
With the race’s unpredictable nature often seeing safety cars or red flags, strategy will, undoubtedly be the ultimate decider in Monaco.