F1 News: Lewis Hamilton On Mercedes - "It's Clear No One's Happy"
Lewis Hamilton has conveyed his sentiments about Mercedes' performance, implying broad dissatisfaction within the team. Despite the lack of victories, Hamilton found hope in the unwavering commitment of the team members.
Key Takeaways:
- Mercedes struggles post the 2022 technical regulation change, lagging behind Red Bull.
- The 'zeropods' design of the W13 car was discarded in 2023, symbolising a pivotal setback.
- Hamilton's recent visit to the Brackley factory showcased the team's unwavering determination.
Lewis Hamilton, the face of Mercedes and a seven-time world champion, opened up about the team's recent challenges and future aspirations. Since the inception of the 2022 technical regulations, Mercedes' journey has been tumultuous, to say the least. Their innovative approach, which once saw them adopt the unconventional 'zero sidepods' chassis for the 2022 W13 car, was abandoned in 2023 - highlighting the necessity to recalibrate.
Despite the boldness of their vision, the zero-pod W13 design was ultimately a misadventure, failing to match up to the sheer brilliance of Red Bull's Adrian Newey design and strategy. Even though the W14 made some progress, the shadow of Red Bull's RB19, piloted by the formidable Max Verstappen, looms large.
While the Mercedes team's dominance in the F1 arena is legendary, they've had to swallow a bitter pill of late. With just one victory to their name in the past two seasons, George Russell's triumphant ride at the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, the pressure to reignite the old magic is palpable.
For Hamilton, a name synonymous with victory, this phase marks the longest winless streak of his illustrious F1 career. His last victory lap was witnessed at the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
"The other day, I was in the aero department," Hamilton told the press. "It's clear that no one's happy with where we are and how we've done this year,” Hamilton said. "But it was massively encouraging to see how driven everyone was.
"Everyone's heads were down. Everyone was at their stations and clearly pushing incredibly hard. For me, that was inspiring to see."
The landscape of F1 is rapidly changing. Not only do Mercedes have to rekindle their spark to challenge Red Bull, but they must also be wary of rising threats from teams like McLaren, Aston Martin, and potentially others. We've already seen how fast teams can rise to the top.