“This isn’t the right car,” Lewis Hamilton admits Mercedes have a lot of work to do after Bahrain GP disappointment
Hamilton laments Mercedes' poor start to the 2023 season after finishing fifth in Bahrain Grand Prix
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Both the Mercedes at Bahrain Gp (Credits: The Telegraph)
Mercedes’ 2022 season was marred by a design concept that did not offer the promised performance: no side pods. Throughout the year, the team battled to keep up with front runners Red Bull and Ferrari, and while they were able to enhance the car’s competitiveness towards the conclusion of the season, they couldn’t match Red Bull’s performance. The German team had anticipated a better start to the 2023 season, but things didn’t go as planned.
Mercedes’ choice to remain with the same design idea throughout the off-season, coupled with efforts to develop the car, has not yielded in the intended wonders. They are the fourth-fastest team on the grid, after only the Aston Martins and Ferraris. Hamilton, who started seventh, finished fifth after passing teammate George Russell and profiting from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc‘s retirement. He could not defend against Fernando Alonso‘s Aston Martin, which had a terrible start but a splendid recovery to finish third.
Hamilton expressed anxiety over Mercedes’ poor performance but reiterated his responsibility to keep the team motivated. “We know we are not where we need to be, and we know that this isn’t the right car. It is a difficult one. But I’ve just got to try and stay positive, keep my head up and keep pushing the guys. Keep trying to be a positive light for them and get the best points I can.”
Mercedes’ struggles were evident throughout qualifying, as they qualified sixth and seventh for the race behind one of the Aston Martins. Alonso, who had a terrible start, had to battle the field to gain positions and passed both Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari and both Mercedes. Hamilton couldn’t keep up with the Spaniard’s pace, and Stroll, who had a fractured wrist and was practically unable to compete, challenged George and ultimately overtook him.
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The Mercedes car’s poor handling of the tires and lack of downforce has contributed to their current predicament. The Briton expressed his disappointment with the team’s performance, stating, “It generally felt the same as last year. We have just got a lot of work to do. We have just got to add downforce to the car; we’re lacking a lot of downforce. That is really where the time will come. As soon as we put more load on the rear and the front, we’ll pick up that pace.”
Hamilton’s battle with Alonso provided a brief moment of excitement for the fans, but the Briton knew he was no match for the Spaniard. “It was fun for a moment. He was in a different league at the time, performance-wise, as you saw because he pulled away so much. But I enjoyed the little tussle that we had, and I knew he was going to come by because of the way he caught me.”
The Silver Arrows must address these flaws swiftly or risk slipping farther behind the competition. Hamilton said that the team has their work cut out for them, and with their customers Aston Martin outperforming them, Mercedes must push for better improvements.“We’ve got work to do because half of their car is ours, and they built their car in our wind tunnel, they do their aero in our wind tunnel, so we’ve got some work to do.”
Mercedes is in a woeful situation in terms of race trim, and their driver, Hamilton, faces a difficult assignment in inspiring the squad and keeping their spirits high. To avoid slipping behind their opponents, the team must immediately solve their shortcomings and increase the performance of their car.
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Justin P Joy
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