Formula 1: The seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton could have missed the Austrian GP weekend due to a simple rule by FIA. Mercedes technical director Mike Elliott has focused on teams should be permitted a test vehicle that they could use in case of a major accident. Follow Formula 1 and French GP LIVE updates with InsideSport.IN
After the Austrian GP, Mike Elliott said, “In Lewis’ case he had done so much damage to the chassis, actually only cosmetic damage, but damage that we couldn’t fix in the field. We had to sort of build his car from scratch on Saturday morning. A number of years ago we used to be allowed a T-car. So a complete third car was built in the garage.”
“But the rules were changed so you can only have your two race cars and you can carry just a spare tub or a spare chassis. So, that car had to be built from nothing, fitting the engine, the gearbox, all the suspension, all of the sort of car systems that bolt around the chassis, all had to be put in place,” Elliott added.
“The mechanics managed to do that in three and a half hours on Saturday morning. It is an amazing achievement, and all credit to them for actually getting us back out and into FP2. Test cars were banned ahead of the 2008 season in a bid to reduce costs,” Elliott concluded.
Meanwhile, the guidelines were changed so that the teams can carry their two race vehicles to the weekend. It implied the Silver Arrows needed to madly work in front of Saturday’s second practice session to get Hamilton out for the end of the week.
In the event that the mechanics hadn’t figured out how to make it happen, Hamilton might not have taken to the grid for the sprint race and might have been compelled to begin Sunday’s Grand Prix from the rear of the grid. The seven-time champion in the end got a podium finish as Mercedes took advantage of Sainz’s engine blowout.
POV: You’re watching @LewisHamilton celebrate from under the podium 🍾🙌 pic.twitter.com/anZzqZpu90
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) July 11, 2022
A tough break for Carlos Sainz #AustrianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/cEV04FoRzY
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 10, 2022
The rule helped several drivers who crashed, in the beginning, to hop in their vehicle and proceed. A few examples were Martin Brundle after his beginning line crash at the 1996 Australian Grand Prix and David Coulthard after hitting the wall at the 1998 Belgian Grand Prix.
Meanwhile, Otmar Szafnauer has called for spare vehicles to make a return after Esteban Ocon was gotten out in Miami. The Frenchman crashed in FP3 and was constrained out of qualifying after the group found a crack in his chassis. Given the short circle back, it was unimaginable for the group to make the fixes expected to qualify.
“We should look again at the presence of a third car. We used to have a T-car. I don’t think we should go back to that T-car completely because then you would need extra people. If the car is built with the same parts that you already have on the track, you are more likely to have it ready for qualifying,” Szafnauer said.
