Lewis Hamilton is washed up: a phrase we sadly heard too typically throughout the 2024 System 1 championship. Scuderia Ferrari welcomes him after having heard this “sporting malice” on a number of events. This notion relies solely on outcomes in comparison with his Mercedes teammate George Russell, who typically and willingly was forward of the seven-time System 1 world champion within the final season. First, we should make a vital clarification. Even in crucial 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 necessary and it’s one thing we additionally keep in mind very properly from Sebastian Vettel‘s final 12 months with Ferrari, when the German driver was already conscious that he wouldn’t proceed with the Maranello staff and his efficiency in 2020 was considerably inferior as in comparison with his Ferrari teammate.
Racing for a staff in a divided atmosphere is among the most difficult conditions a System 1 driver can face. And even Lewis Hamilton suffered from this situation, though his huge expertise saved it from changing into too burdensome. Furthermore, the staff’s focus was rightly and undoubtedly completely on George Russell, the inheritor to Lewis Hamilton’s standing as main driver. This implies the German staff adopted George Russell’s suggestions relating to growth course. The Mercedes W15 single-seater was an excellent automotive however actually not top-tier, as many flaws and inconsistent efficiency needed to be managed by the staff led by Toto Wolff.
One of many crucial 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 tips on how to totally exploit this new configuration. Overheating was all the time lurking, and managing the tires proved very tough. Then, slowly and progressively, the automobile dynamics staff discovered the keys to higher handle the rear of Brackley’s automotive.
Numerous flooring updates offered extra downforce and stability, and in the summertime, the W15 carried out its finest when temperatures had been decrease than anticipated. This attribute was maximized by the staff within the second half of the 2024 System 1 championship, leveraging this key tire administration facet to realize outcomes past the automotive’s precise competitiveness. Lewis Hamilton gave his finest at any time when the automotive allowed him to. Nevertheless, basically, whether or not it was chilly or scorching, he all the time struggled greater than vital 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. Take into account that even the drivers, on a number of events, in addition to technicians and engineers, had been unable to offer believable explanations for the outcomes achieved, whether or not they had been distinctive, subpar, or disappointing, if we are able to put it that manner. 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 carefully following Ferrari, for instance, we had been in a position to observe the variations between the Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. Elements that, in sure circumstances, favored one driver over the opposite. As an illustration, 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 swimsuit the SF-24 automotive and even Carlos Sainz knew that, exactly because of this, the Spaniard was superb at taming the automotive on this part of the monitor, utilizing his driving fashion on entry to attenuate the boundaries of the purple automotive. No marvel he received 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 follow on any given System 1 race weekend, goes all out to seek out the setup of the automotive finest suited to his distinctive traits when he tightens the steering wheel. The British driver confirmed lots of problem in braking. We’ve seen this since his early experiences with McLaren: the Brit used the brakes in a selected manner. The seven-time System 1 world champion, regardless of micro-lockups on the entrance finish, was all the time aggressive.
We’re speaking about a facet 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 necessary situation got here from the shortage of rotation, which Lewis Hamilton doesn’t notably like. Quite the opposite, he suffers from it loads. The setup window was typically diminished, and the 2 Mercedes drivers might solely adapt. George Russell did this a lot better, as his driving fashion was extra suited to the automotive’s traits. Considering of the longer term with Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari, might this issue weigh in?
The query is just not simply resolved. Nevertheless, we are able to say that at Maranello, the motivations will probably be very completely different, and the automotive that can come from the 2025 undertaking will, as a elementary attribute, preserve a sure tendency to oversteer, a function that the British champion likes and may handle with no points. Furthermore, the brand new progressive flooring, primarily based on the experimental one launched in Las Vegas, goals to widen the operational window of the automotive to present drivers all of the instruments wanted to achieve confidence with the automotive. So, no alarms for Lewis Hamilton forward of the subsequent System 1 world championship.
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