Mercedes thinks a double whammy of sensitivity to brake locking and snaps of oversteer throughout qualifying runs was the set off for the difficulties Lewis Hamilton had in 2024.
Hamilton endured a difficult season with the W15 as he particularly discovered himself unable to get as a lot out of his automotive in qualifying as team-mate George Russell.
Over the 24-race season, which included six dash occasions, Russell outqualified him 24-6, with the tally 19-5 should you exclude the sprints.
That deficit to Russell was solely a few tenths at occasions however, with the F1 grid being so aggressive final season, that was sufficient to drop Hamilton a number of locations down the grid – which made his recoveries on Sundays more durable.
Mercedes head of trackside engineering Andrew Shovlin stated that Hamilton was finally hampered battling a automotive that wasn’t quick sufficient and had a slender set-up window.
However there have been some specifics to the seven-time world champion’s driving that meant he was not as snug extracting all the things that was attainable on new tyres.
“The automotive hasn’t been fast sufficient, and that is been the factor that we have been making an attempt to resolve,” stated Shovlin, reflecting on what the problems at play for Hamilton had been.
“The automotive hasn’t been simple to get into a pleasant stability window, and notably when you get there, maintaining it there was a problem.
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15
Picture by: Lubomir Asenov / Motorsport Photos
“Past all of that, I believe you already know Lewis has struggled on a single lap. His race tempo has been there all through the weekend. However it’s simply with a detailed grid, you usually begin a number of locations behind your team-mate, and then you definately’re held up and you’ll’t present what you are able to do.
“However the learn on Lewis’s race tempo has been excellent. He confirmed in Las Vegas that if he has a automotive that works the way in which he desires, he can combat proper again to the entrance. And we very a lot noticed the outdated Lewis.”
Shovlin detailed that there have been some specifics on these qualifying runs that Hamilton was not particularly snug with.
“The difficulty actually for him has simply been when you’re making an attempt to extract that final tenth or two,” he stated.
“It has been tough when it comes to making an attempt to keep away from brake locking, making an attempt to keep away from snaps on exit. It is simply these points.
“However the way in which the group seems at that’s that we would have liked to present Lewis a automotive extra just like the one we had in Vegas, the place it does go well with his fashion, and he can do his greatest work with it.”
Whereas there appears to be a pattern of drivers who’re good on brakes – like Hamilton, Daniel Ricciardo and Kevin Magnussen – all having confronted challenges with this technology of ground-effect automotive, Shovlin isn’t satisfied that’s the important issue.
He thinks that maybe extra vital has been the problem of rotating vehicles on the throttle, however with out overheating the rears.
“I believe nowadays, a number of it’s maintaining warmth out of the rear tyres,” he stated. “For those who strategy a nook in a approach that that signifies that they’re sizzling, or should you’re having to show the automotive on the throttle, then you’ll battle with that.
“[Braking style] could also be a consider amongst all of it, however I do not actually know sufficient about Magnussen and Ricciardo to know whether or not that was their difficulty.
“However actually maintaining the warmth out of the rear tyres on a single lap is a very powerful factor at about half to 2 thirds of the circuits.”
That Russell was in a position to persistently get extra out of the W15 recommended that there could possibly be one thing to do with differing types between him and Hamilton.
However Shovlin didn’t suppose that there was an apparent rationalization as to why Russell obtained on prime of the qualifying points higher.
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15
Picture by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Photos
Requested if there was an evidence that could possibly be noticed on the information, Shovlin stated: “I imply, not likely within the fashion or strategy, as a result of Lewis is sensible sufficient to know that if one thing is working for George, he can adapt his driving to go in that course.
“There are issues that you may see that finally, once they actually begin pushing, then that is whenever you begin to get the snaps of oversteer on exit.
“And that, every so often, is an space that Lewis may endure extra from than George. However, as I stated, the main focus for our yr has been, how can we get the automotive in a approach that Lewis wants to permit him to drive it on the restrict and never endure these issues.”
Learn Additionally:
On this article
Jonathan Noble
Components 1
Lewis Hamilton
Mercedes
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Author : Motorsports
Publish date : 2024-12-26 09:21:08
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