Lewis Hamilton is washed up: a phrase we sadly heard too usually in the course of the 2024 Components 1 championship. Scuderia Ferrari welcomes him after having heard this “sporting malice” on a number of events. This notion is predicated solely on outcomes in comparison with his Mercedes teammate George Russell, who usually and willingly was forward of the seven-time Components 1 world champion within the final season. First, we should make a vital clarification. Even in a very powerful motorsport collection, similar to in life, when motivation wanes, efficiency naturally declines. That is physiological as a result of the psychological facet is simply too essential and it’s one thing we additionally bear in mind very properly from Sebastian Vettel‘s final yr with Ferrari, when the German driver was already conscious that he wouldn’t proceed with the Maranello group and his efficiency in 2020 was considerably inferior as in comparison with his Ferrari teammate.
Racing for a group in a divided surroundings is among the most difficult conditions a Components 1 driver can face. And even Lewis Hamilton suffered from this situation, though his huge expertise saved it from turning into too burdensome. Furthermore, the group’s focus was rightly and undoubtedly completely on George Russell, the inheritor to Lewis Hamilton’s standing as main driver. This implies the German group adopted George Russell’s suggestions concerning growth course. The Mercedes W15 single-seater was automotive however definitely not top-tier, as many flaws and inconsistent efficiency needed to be managed by the group led by Toto Wolff.
One of many vital factors was the rear finish. From the very first phases of 2024, referring to pre-season testing session on the Bahrain Worldwide circuit, it turned clear that the brand new pull-rod rear suspension setup was difficult to calibrate. It took a number of months to grasp methods to totally exploit this new configuration. Overheating was all the time lurking, and managing the tires proved very tough. Then, slowly and progressively, the car dynamics group discovered the keys to higher handle the rear of Brackley’s automotive.
Numerous ground updates offered extra downforce and stability, and in the summertime, the W15 carried out its greatest when temperatures had been decrease than anticipated. This attribute was maximized by the group within the second half of the 2024 Components 1 championship, leveraging this key tire administration facet to attain outcomes past the automotive’s precise competitiveness. Lewis Hamilton gave his greatest at any time when the automotive allowed him to. Nevertheless, usually, whether or not it was chilly or sizzling, he all the time struggled greater than vital in qualifying on single-lap tempo.
Explaining why efficiency falls wanting expectations is commonly not easy. In Mercedes’ case, it’s maybe much more advanced. Contemplate that even the drivers, on a number of events, in addition to technicians and engineers, had been unable to supply believable explanations for the outcomes achieved, whether or not they had been distinctive, subpar, or disappointing, if we are able to put it that means. We all know that each F1 driver is aware of their very own traits very properly and, as is correct, seeks a setup that may improve them. This occurs in all groups.
By intently following Ferrari, for instance, we had been capable of observe the variations between the Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. Components that, in sure circumstances, favored one driver over the opposite. As an example, consider the Mexican Grand Prix, a race weekend the place the Monegasque driver suffered an excessive amount of within the second sector. Whereas it’s true that the quick, sequential corners didn’t go well with the SF-24 automotive and even Carlos Sainz knew that, exactly for that reason, the Spaniard was superb at taming the automotive on this part of the observe, utilizing his driving fashion on entry to reduce the bounds of the purple automotive. No surprise he gained that Grand Prix.
However let’s get again to Lewis Hamilton. The British driver is a superb winner, however like all champions, he’s a perfectionist behind the wheel, similar to Max Verstappen, who, throughout free observe on any given Components 1 race weekend, goes all out to search out the setup of the automotive greatest suited to his distinctive traits when he tightens the steering wheel. The British driver confirmed a variety of issue in braking. We have now seen this since his early experiences with McLaren: the Brit used the brakes in a selected means. The seven-time Components 1 world champion, regardless of micro-lockups on the entrance finish, was all the time aggressive.
We’re speaking about a side of his braking fashion that, in 2024, penalized him considerably in relation to the W15’s qualities. This facet took away his rhythm on single-lap tempo. One other essential situation got here from the shortage of rotation, which Lewis Hamilton doesn’t significantly like. Quite the opposite, he suffers from it so much. The setup window was usually lowered, and the 2 Mercedes drivers might solely adapt. George Russell did this significantly better, as his driving fashion was extra suited to the automotive’s traits. Considering of the long run with Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari, might this issue weigh in?
The query will not be simply resolved. Nevertheless, we are able to say that at Maranello, the motivations might be very completely different, and the automotive that can come from the 2025 mission will, as a elementary attribute, preserve a sure tendency to oversteer, a characteristic that the British champion likes and may handle with no points. Furthermore, the brand new modern ground, based mostly on the experimental one launched in Las Vegas, goals to widen the operational window of the automotive to provide drivers all of the instruments wanted to achieve confidence with the automotive. So, no alarms for Lewis Hamilton forward of the following Components 1 world championship.
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