Mercedes opens up on the factors that hurt Hamilton with the W15

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 for those who 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 tougher.

Mercedes head of trackside engineering Andrew Shovlin mentioned that Hamilton was finally hampered battling a automotive that wasn’t quick sufficient and had a slim set-up window.

However there have been some specifics to the seven-time world champion’s driving that meant he was not as comfy extracting all the things that was potential on new tyres.

“The automotive hasn’t been fast sufficient, and that is been the factor that we have been attempting to unravel,” mentioned Shovlin, reflecting on what the problems at play for Hamilton have been.

“The automotive hasn’t been straightforward to get into a pleasant steadiness window, and significantly when you get there, retaining it there was a problem.

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15

Picture by: Lubomir Asenov / Motorsport Photographs

“Past all of that, I feel you understand Lewis has struggled on a single lap. His race tempo has been there all through the weekend. Nevertheless 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 superb. He confirmed in Las Vegas that if he has a automotive that works the best way 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 And we very a lot noticed the outdated Lewis.”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 comfy with.

“The difficulty actually for him has simply been when you find yourself attempting to extract that final tenth or two,” he mentioned.

“It has been tough by way of attempting to keep away from brake locking, attempting to keep away from snaps on exit. It is simply these points.

“However the best way the group appears to be like at that’s that we wanted to present Lewis a automotive extra just like the one we had in Vegas, the place it does swimsuit his fashion, and he can do his greatest work with it.”

Whereas there appears to be a development of drivers who’re good on brakes – like Hamilton, Daniel Ricciardo and Kevin Magnussen – all having confronted challenges with this era of ground-effect automotive, Shovlin is just not satisfied that’s the essential issue.

He thinks that maybe extra necessary has been the problem of rotating vehicles on the throttle, however with out overheating the rears.

“I feel nowadays, quite a lot of it’s retaining warmth out of the rear tyres,” he mentioned. “For those who strategy a nook in a manner that that signifies that they’re scorching, or for those who’re having to show the automotive on the throttle, then you’ll wrestle with that.

“[Braking style] could also be a think about amongst all of it, however I do not actually know sufficient about Magnussen and Ricciardo to know whether or not that was their challenge.

“However actually retaining the warmth out of the rear tyres on a single lap is crucial factor at about half to 2 thirds of the circuits.”

That Russell was capable of constantly get extra out of the W15 steered that there may very well be one thing to do with differing kinds between him and Hamilton.

However Shovlin didn’t assume that there was an apparent clarification as to why Russell obtained on prime of the qualifying points higher.

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15

Picture by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Photographs

Requested if there was an evidence that may very well be noticed on the info, Shovlin mentioned: “I imply, probably not within the fashion or strategy, as a result of Lewis is smart 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 if you begin to get the snaps of oversteer on exit.

“And that, from time to time, is an space that Lewis would possibly endure extra from than George. However, as I mentioned, the main target for our 12 months has been, how will we get the automotive in a manner that Lewis wants to permit him to drive it on the restrict and never endure these issues.”

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