Clearly, Lewis Hamilton needs a championship-winning car from Mercedes boss Toto Wolff and his team. Since last year the Silver Arrows has only disappointed the fans and even their own drivers. In 2022 with W13, the German team had a messed up car that caused tremendous bouncing due to porpoising issues.
Due to the bouncing, the drivers were not able to get the best out of the car. Instead, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell sustained bruises in neck and back pain. Now, they are trying their best to get the maximum out of the new W14 car this season, but something is easier said than done. While adjusting to the reality, the Mercedes boss feels the team owes Lewis Hamilton a championship-winning car.
Toto Wolff Says “W14 Is Still Not Good Enough To Help Lewis Hamilton Win Title”
Team Red Bull has gained a little bit too much lead after the first four races. They have won all the Grand Prix, with their two drivers winning two each. But Mercedes had a single podium finish this season in Australia but no win as of yet. Lewis Hamilton won his 192nd podium finish. But TP Toto Wolff says that is not enough. According to the boss, Mercedes must provide a championship-winning car as the team owes it to the seven-time champion. In the recent practice sessions for the Miami Grand Prix, the Mercedes team performed well, winning the P1 and P2 positions. But Toto Wolff said, “It might be better than the car in Baku but still not a championship-winning car material.”
Mercedes boss feels Lewis Hamilton might have to wait for the next season to win his eighth title. But with the new upgrades here in Miami and later in Imola for the sixth Grand Prix this year, Hamilton and Mercedes can hope to close the gap between Aston Martin and Red Bull. They have a lot of races still remaining to try and come closer to Red Bull. A record 23 race season demands the drivers and teams to hang on and save the engines and tyres. It will depend on how much pressure can W14 and even RB19 take. There are just too many races and not much time in between to give the cars and the drivers some rest.
Can New Upgrades Help Mercedes Get Into Title Contention?
W14 might not have colossal bouncing issues, but it is still not problem free for the drivers. The seat position is not perfect neither is the rear downforce of the car. Moreover, the old concept of Mercedes with zero side pods must be changed immediately. After narrowly missing out on his eighth driver’s championship, Lewis Hamilton has been waiting since last year for Mercedes to build a fast and smooth car for him.
Furthermore, fans thought the German team was going to come back with a bang after the disaster of 2022. However, after the four races this year, that thought seems like a too far-fetched dream. There are some minor upgrades added to the car in Miami. Furthermore, Mercedes can’t wait to go to Imola for some major upgrades. After Imola, there will be plenty more races to go for Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton to get back to winning ways. However, Red Bull’s pace is the problem.
