F1 News: Lewis Hamilton Laments Mercedes W15 - Most Conflicted With Car 'Right Now'

Lewis Hamilton has expressed severe struggles with the Mercedes W15.

Nov 18, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport driver Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain (44) waves to fans during the Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix begins at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports / Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports

Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton has voiced substantial difficulties with the Mercedes W15 on the 'Hot Ones' YouTube show, revealing ongoing issues with the car's responsiveness and balance.

The British driver recently shared his frustrations with the Mercedes W15 on the popular YouTube series 'Hot Ones.' He stated that he feels more conflicted with his car now than at any other point in his career, pointing to continuous battles with its responsiveness in races. Currently sitting eighth in the driver standings, Hamilton's performance this season, with no finishes above sixth in the first seven races, clearly reflects a competitive discrepancy.

During his 'Hot Ones' appearance, Hamilton candidly described the challenges he faces, particularly at race starts when the car is laden with fuel. He explained the need to moderate his approach to corners to preserve the car for the later stages of the race, a strategy that evidently has not yielded the desired results so far. When asked by host Sean Evans when he is most in conflict with his car, Hamilton responded:

"Right now," he said whilst laughing. "At the moment, it's every second."

He added:

"Probably at the beginning of the race. When you're on heavy fuel, you can't go 100%. You can't do qualifying laps every lap.

"So you have to pull back and try to hit the corners a little bit slower to go longer." Evans summarises that pulling back on track is what Hamilton finds difficult.

Looking ahead, Mercedes faces the necessity of conducting a thorough technical review to improve its competitiveness against the likes of Red Bull, Ferrari, and McLaren. Speaking to the media during the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, Hamilton explained, as quoted by Daily Mail:

“I don't know how the year is going to evolve.

"If others plateau and don’t develop and we continue to develop, or if they develop at the same rate as us. I really have no idea, but what I can say is we’re continuing to push.

"I haven’t got a crystal ball, so I have no idea how the year going to end. But in terms of how we are working together and how we are continuing to stay focused and motivated, I think that's what's inspiring.”