F1 News: Mercedes Still In "Learning Phase" After Lewis Hamilton Bahrain Disappointment

The presenter remarked that there is still significant work to be done on the Mercedes W15 F1 car.

After comparing the pace of Mercedes's W15 in qualifying and Grand Prix, Sky F1 presenter Naomi Schiff has expressed that Mercedes is still in the 'learning phase" of their car's concept, given the challenges faced by Lewis Hamilton during the race in Bahrain. She concluded that the team has yet to extract the car's full potential. 

Key Takeaways:

• Mercedes is still in the "learning phase" of their car's concept, according to Sky F1 presenter Naomi Schiff, who analyzed the pace of the W15 in qualifying and the Grand Prix.
• Lewis Hamilton faced challenges during the Bahrain Grand Prix, including energy recovery issues on lap 17 and a broken seat on lap 25, making it a tough race for the seven-time world champion.
• Schiff suggests that, based on the challenges faced in the first race, Mercedes has work to do on the car to catch up with Red Bull, indicating they are still learning how to unlock the full performance of the new concept.

Hamilton encountered a rough start to the season during the Bahrain Grand Prix, which saw him maneuver through a series of obstacles that put to test both his expertise and the capabilities of the W15 F1 car.

On lap 17, the seven-time world champion faced a momentary performance dip due to an issue with energy recovery. The problem was later attributed to a depleting battery that was recharged in the following lap.

Adding to his challenges, Hamilton reported a broken seat on lap 25, further complicating his troubles. Despite remaining positive after the race, Hamilton spoke of a tough Grand Prix and pointed out a "high degradation with the car".

Considering the issues Hamilton faced, Schiff gave her verdict from the season's first race by stating that Mercedes, which is currently in the "learning phase", has a lot of work to do on the car to catch up with Red Bull. She said on Sky Sports F1:

“There was a lot that they were dealing with.

“They seemed optimistic, at least Lewis did.

“This is now the bitter reality. We’ve seen the car’s performance in qualifying and seen the performance in the race.

“While I think they have made a step forward, because the drivers have told us that the grip is tighter, but if you look at the performance of the Red Bulls, [Mercedes] are still quite a while away.

“It means they will still have to work at this concept.

“They’ve only had this concept for a couple of weeks on track while some teams in this paddock have had this concept for two years.

“They are still in the learning phase of how to really lock in the performance.”

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