Lewis Hamilton is washed up: a phrase we sadly heard too typically throughout the 2024 Method 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 typically and willingly was forward of the seven-time Method 1 world champion within the final season. First, we should make a needed clarification. Even in an important motorsport collection, similar to in life, when motivation wanes, efficiency naturally declines. That is physiological as a result of the psychological side is simply too necessary and it’s one thing we additionally keep in mind very effectively from Sebastian Vettel‘s final yr with Ferrari, when the German driver was already conscious that he wouldn’t proceed with the Maranello crew and his efficiency in 2020 was considerably inferior as in comparison with his Ferrari teammate.
Racing for a crew in a divided atmosphere is without doubt one of the most difficult conditions a Method 1 driver can face. And even Lewis Hamilton suffered from this state of affairs, though his huge expertise stored it from turning into too burdensome. Furthermore, the crew’s focus was rightly and undoubtedly fully on George Russell, the inheritor to Lewis Hamilton’s standing as main driver. This implies the German crew adopted George Russell’s suggestions concerning improvement course. The Mercedes W15 single-seater was a very good automobile however definitely not top-tier, as many flaws and inconsistent efficiency needed to be managed by the crew led by Toto Wolff.
One of many important factors was the rear finish. From the very first phases of 2024, referring to pre-season testing session on the Bahrain Worldwide circuit, it grew to become clear that the brand new pull-rod rear suspension setup was difficult to calibrate. It took a number of months to know learn how to absolutely exploit this new configuration. Overheating was all the time lurking, and managing the tires proved very tough. Then, slowly and progressively, the car dynamics crew discovered the keys to raised handle the rear of Brackley’s automobile.
Numerous flooring updates offered extra downforce and stability, and in the summertime, the W15 carried out its greatest when temperatures have been decrease than anticipated. This attribute was maximized by the crew within the second half of the 2024 Method 1 championship, leveraging this key tire administration side to attain outcomes past the automobile’s precise competitiveness. Lewis Hamilton gave his greatest at any time when the automobile allowed him to. Nonetheless, typically, whether or not it was chilly or scorching, he all the time struggled greater than needed in qualifying on single-lap tempo.
Explaining why efficiency falls wanting expectations is usually not easy. In Mercedes’ case, it’s maybe much more complicated. Think about that even the drivers, on a number of events, in addition to technicians and engineers, have been unable to offer believable explanations for the outcomes achieved, whether or not they have been distinctive, subpar, or disappointing, if we will put it that means. We all know that each F1 driver is aware of their very own traits very effectively and, as is true, seeks a setup that may improve them. This occurs in all groups.
By carefully following Ferrari, for instance, we have been capable of observe the variations between the Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. Components that, in sure circumstances, favored one driver over the opposite. For 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 automobile and even Carlos Sainz knew that, exactly for that reason, the Spaniard was superb at taming the automobile on this part of the monitor, utilizing his driving type on entry to reduce the boundaries of the crimson automobile. No marvel he gained that Grand Prix.
However let’s get again to Lewis Hamilton. The British driver is a good winner, however like all champions, he’s a perfectionist behind the wheel, similar to Max Verstappen, who, throughout free apply on any given Method 1 race weekend, goes all out to search out the setup of the automobile greatest suited to his distinctive traits when he tightens the steering wheel. The British driver confirmed a number of problem in braking. We now have seen this since his early experiences with McLaren: the Brit used the brakes in a selected means. The seven-time Method 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 type that, in 2024, penalized him considerably in relation to the W15’s qualities. This side took away his rhythm on single-lap tempo. One other necessary challenge got here from the shortage of rotation, which Lewis Hamilton doesn’t significantly like. Quite the opposite, he suffers from it quite a bit. The setup window was typically diminished, and the 2 Mercedes drivers might solely adapt. George Russell did this a lot better, as his driving type was extra suited to the automobile’s traits. Considering of the longer term with Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari, might this issue weigh in?
The query shouldn’t be simply resolved. Nonetheless, we will say that at Maranello, the motivations will probably be very completely different, and the automobile that may come from the 2025 undertaking will, as a basic attribute, keep a sure tendency to oversteer, a characteristic that the British champion likes and might handle with no points. Furthermore, the brand new revolutionary flooring, based mostly on the experimental one launched in Las Vegas, goals to widen the operational window of the automobile to offer drivers all of the instruments wanted to achieve confidence with the automobile. So, no alarms for Lewis Hamilton forward of the following Method 1 world championship.
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