Mercedes failed miserably in the Austin GP despite introducing a mega update. Aerodynamic challenges have kept the Silver Arrows from achieving success on the track. On the Circuit of the Americas, the two W15 cars were beached by George Russell and Lewis Hamilton. First, it was Russell during the Q3, which also sent him to a pit lane start. Then, his teammate Hamilton found himself in the gravel at the exact same turn.
Therefore, it stirred a debate over the team’s latest upgrade, especially the new floor edge. However, team officials, including chief Toto Wolff and driver George Russell, asserted that the upgrade had nothing to do with it. As a result, the team will continue with its current specification at the Mexican GP. However, there will be a slight change in Russell’s W15 due to the unavailability of updated components.
Will Lewis Hamilton Use The Faulty Austin GP Upgrade?
Ahead of the 2024 Mexican Grand Prix, Mercedes announced that Lewis Hamilton and George Russell would be running different aerodynamic packages, similar to the setup they had used during the U.S. Grand Prix a week prior. This situation arises from Russell’s crash in Austin and Mercedes’ limited availability of the newly upgraded parts.
During the qualifying session in Austin, Russell lost control and crashed hard into the barriers, leading to significant issues for Mercedes. With only two sets of the latest aerodynamic upgrades, which included a revised front wing, underbody, cooling inlet, wishbone panels, and engine cover, the team was forced to revert Russell’s car to its previous aerodynamic configuration from the Singapore GP. As a result, while Hamilton competed with the newer setup, Russell had to use an older specification for the remainder of the weekend.
Unfortunately, the updated package didn’t yield great results for Hamilton either. The seven-time world champion encountered bad luck during qualifying, which placed him at P17, and ultimately crashed out of the race on Sunday. Following this, Mercedes confirmed that Hamilton and Russell would continue with the different setups from Austin for the Mexican GP. Hamilton will be running with the latest specification, including a modified sub-floor to replace parts damaged during his crash, while Russell will operate on the older aerodynamic package. This split approach reflects Mercedes’ adaptation to the challenging situation, balancing resource constraints and damaged components as the team pushes to maximize performance through the remaining races.
“100% The Car,” Mercedes Cheif Talks About Hamilton And Russell Losing Car’s Control
Toto Wolff shared his perspective on Lewis Hamilton’s unexpected incident during the race, emphasizing that it was entirely due to the car rather than a mistake on Hamilton’s part. He pointed out that Hamilton wasn’t even pushing at the time, yet the car’s handling led to the abrupt loss of control. Reflecting on George Russell’s earlier incident in qualifying, where Russell may have been over-driving slightly, Wolff noted that the car still suddenly lost grip, resulting in a crash into the barriers.
Wolff identified a clear issue with the car’s stability, aggravated by external factors like wind and minor turbulence. While he acknowledged that similar handling issues had surfaced previously, he stressed that Hamilton rarely loses control in such a manner, further confirming the underlying problems with the car’s performance. Wolff’s comments underscored Mercedes’ challenge with its current setup, highlighting a need for closer scrutiny of these unpredictable stability issues.
