Lewis Hamilton was fighting for the Formula 1 world title just a couple of years ago. However, since the debacle at Abu Dhabi 2021, his fortunes have tumbled. Mercedes got their car concept terribly wrong and that left Hamilton in the midfield. He could do nothing but watch Red Bull and Max Verstappen add to their championship tally. He recently opened up about his struggles in Formula 1 since 2022.
A Flawed W13 and a Rising W14
Mercedes unveiled the W13 last year, their Formula 1 challenger for 2022. It looked distinctive with no sidepods. Lewis Hamilton was hoping to challenge Max Verstappen and Red Bull once again. However, it was clear from the outset that the W13 was troubled. It had a narrow set-up window, bounced a lot, and was extremely draggy. Hamilton had difficulty getting out of the car after Baku 2022.
The W14 was an evolution of the W13 as Mercedes had resolved most issues by the end of 2022. The car is still draggy but is much more stable and consistent across circuits and weather conditions. Lewis Hamilton even ended his pole drought with a brilliant lap in Hungary this year. Mercedes have ditched the zeropods and claim to understand the car better.
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‘Frustration is obvious’
Lewis Hamilton explains how it is obviously frustrating to not be winning. He says that Mercedes have been caught off-guard by the rule changes and then the cost cap. He knows you can’t just copy and paste to win in Formula 1.
Lewis Hamilton confirms that Mercedes is more open-minded now. Mercedes have already ditched the zeropod design in Monaco and gained performance since then. He agrees that the Mercedes is still not quick enough to challenge Red Bull but they are at least going in the right direction.
Also Read: End of Speculation! Lewis Hamilton extends stay with Mercedes & George Russell till 2025
Lewis Hamilton has just announced his contract extension for 2 more years till 2025. Clearly, he sees a future for himself within the team and Formula 1. He will desperately want to win that 8th title before retiring.
