Coming into the final race of the season, the main story was the fight for P2 in the constructors. After an up-and-down battle, Mercedes were able to clinch 2nd. However, earlier in the season Toto Wolff suggested how Mercedes is a team that is about winning races and championships. Even Lewis Hamilton has the same mentality about winning. After a disappointing season, the 7X champ has come out to blast Toto Wolff for not living up to his promises. But what did Hamilton say?
After the 2021 championship, everyone expected Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton to come back with a bang in 2022. And the W13 looked like something special for sure with the Zero-pod concept. Regardless, soon everyone realized the problems with the car as Mercedes struggled throughout the season. The Silver Arrows tried solving the issues with the concept as the simulations showed great potential with the zeropods.
Just 1 race into the season, Lewis Hamilton’s worst fears came to life as the W14 was nowhere near the pace of the Red Bull. The frustrated Brit, after the Bahrain Grand Prix, advised how he explained to his team that there were problems with the car and he wasn’t heard. He further added that the team should’ve owned up to their mistake and get back on the right track.
Almost 9 months have passed by since Lewis Hamilton made these comments, but the concern is still there within the Brit. In a recent interview, Hamilton explained how he was confident of the W13 and its uniqueness. But after a terrible year, going into the 2023 testing with the W14, he was a bit more skeptical. Hamilton soon realized the problems with the W14 and prepared for what was going to be a tough 2023 season.
Speaking with the BBC, Lewis Hamilton said, “I’m sure there were frustrations, because I had asked for certain changes, and they weren’t done. “I think for this year they thought: ‘The fundamentals are good and we just have to go here.’ And it was not the case. That’s why I was frustrated in February because they hadn’t made the changes I’d asked for.”
The same concern of the changes not being made is still fresh within Hamilton as he explained the same in the interview. However, Mercedes’ lack of competitiveness isn’t the only thing worrying the 7X champ. Let’s see what’s the other thing that’s bothering Hamilton.
Lewis Hamilton worries about Red Bull’s 2024 challenger
Earlier in the season, Lewis Hamilton advised on how FIA should fix a set date when the teams can start development of the next year’s car so as to prevent some teams from gaining an advantage. These comments came after Hamilton realized that Red Bull had already started the development of their 2024 competitors way before Mercedes did. After the Abu Dhabi GP, Hamilton raised the same concerns advising how Red Bull shifted the focus to the 2024 car in August and yet finished 17 seconds ahead of the current car.
When asked about whether Mercedes will be competitive next year, Hamilton said, “At this moment I don’t really know. For Red Bull to win by 17 seconds in the end and they haven’t even developed their car since August is definitely a concern. But we’ve learned a lot about the car and it’s just down to the team now. They know what they need to do. Whether or not we will get there, we will see.”
It’s been 2 winless seasons in a row now for Hamilton as he sees his arch-rival tumble records. Could the third time be the charm in 2024 for Mercedes and the British champ in this new ground effect era?
