Mercedes suffered a lot last year due to porpoising issues. This issue caused the car to bounce a lot more than the drivers would like. Last season Lewis Hamilton and George Russell could not get the best performance out of the car because there was too much bouncing. Instead, the seven-time champion suffered neck and back pains along with bruises. The team worked really hard to reduce the porpoising issue this year. Initially, they successfully reduced the problem.
However, it was not completely gone. But the Brackley team changed the concept of the car, adding new side pods. But Mercedes has not been as lucky as their rival, Red Bull, since 2022. They have won the Brazilian Grand Prix last year. That has been the one and only race win of the Brackley team in the last two years, including the current season. Even after introducing new upgrades, why is the W14 car failing to live up to the expectations of the team and the fans?
Lewis Hamilton Claims The Old Bouncing Issue With The Car Is Back
In the post-race interview with Sky Sports, Lewis Hamilton mentioned that the car is back with the same trouble as it was last year. Moreover, Hamilton noted that the rear end is their biggest issue. He was sad that he could not keep up with other drivers ahead of him. Hamilton added that the Belgian GP was pretty uneventful for the Mercedes team. They wanted to end the race on a happy note before the summer break. Instead, they have to deal with the bouncing issue again.
Additionally, Lewis Hamilton mentioned that his team is not aware of the reason that caused the issue to be back. But the Mercedes team will go through all the data and try to find out the solutions before the next race. Clearly, Lewis Hamilton knows what he wants. But he can only pray for his team to get there with the car. However, there has been one good news for Team Hamilton. Lewis gets closer to climbing up to third place after getting a bonus point for the fastest lap in Spa ahead of Fernando Alonso. He is only a point behind the Spaniard. But the two Red Bull drivers still rule with the top two spots.
Mercedes Has Not Been As Lucky As Their Rival, Red Bull, Since Last Year
Mercedes has kept introducing new upgrades since the Monaco Grand Prix. The W14 car has not helped the drivers to get a win as of yet. Albeit, Lewis Hamilton did manage to get a pole position in Hungary with the car. However, the race in Hungary and the next race in Belgium ended with Hamilton finishing at P4.
On the other hand, Mercedes’s rival, Red Bull, is winning every race. Max Verstappen is on fire. In the Belgian Grand Prix, he started the race from P6 after the grid penalty. Even then, he came out and won the whole race. It is not even a discussion about who is the fastest driver at present. The Dutchman is on another level. However, he gets a lot of help from the superior RB19 car, thanks to Adrian Newey and the engine partner, Honda.
