Lewis Hamilton, following a challenging but promising third-place finish at the 2024 Spanish Grand Prix, voiced concerns about the capacity of his Mercedes Formula 1 car, which he described as “peaky,” with it still requiring more to truly compete with front-runners like Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. This race marked Hamilton’s standout performance of the season, bringing him his first podium since the 2023 Mexican Grand Prix but still leaving him 17.8 seconds behind Verstappen, with Lando Norris of McLaren close behind.
“We’re slowly getting closer. Last year, we were very fast here, so you have to take it with a pinch of salt, but obviously the last couple of races we’ve been relatively competitive. So, I think we have closed the gap a little bit, but we still have a good couple of tenths to try and find. We just have to have all hands on deck and keep pushing,” Hamilton commented.
Despite the introduction of a new front wing and a lighter floor to the W15, the British driver underscored the limitations of the current updates:
“No, I think that’s the maximum it’s got at the moment. But we’re always fine-tuning it with subtle changes that we make. So, we are always fine-tuning it and we continue to tune it through the year. But we need to bolt some stuff on, some extra bits to be able to compete with these guys.”
Handling and tire management were both highlighted as pivotal setbacks this season by the Brackley pilot. Hamilton detailed struggles with the car’s balance, which hampered his ability to navigate corners smoothly unless the setup was precisely aligned.
“Our pace is where we were, basically – third or fourth this weekend. But I think our car is generally quite peaky and that means that it’s often out of balance. It’s very rare that it’s in balance and it’s nice and smooth through a corner. So, set-up – I’ve obviously experimented a lot with setup over the last couple of years, but the car doesn’t really like any of the setups but one.
“It’s slowly starting to become nicer to drive. And ultimately tires. Tires have been a huge issue for me. So, I think we got it half-decent this weekend. If I can make some improvements over the course of the next races, I think there’s more performance there.”
Hamilton’s results and commentary reflect a series of incremental improvements as well as significant challenges that Mercedes must address. Despite the technical strides achieved with the W15’s design, the demand for more substantial upgrades has become apparent, setting a heightened focus for the team’s development strategy in subsequent races. Moving forward, as the season progresses, Hamilton and his team are poised to push the envelope on development, looking to capitalize on any gains that could diminish the gap to their competitors, thereby amplifying their competitive edge in a season marked by fierce rivalries and rapid evolutions in car performance.
Uncommon Knowledge
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