Mercedes saw unprecedented success in the 2010s. The Brackley-based team achieved its peak, dominating the racing world. They were particularly formidable under the hybrid rules, winning many world championships. However, after the final race of 2021, the team suffered a slump. Lewis Hamilton’s disputed loss to Max Verstappen has left Mercedes trying to regain its old supremacy.
In 2022, the FIA added ground-effect regulations, which the Mercedes technical team has struggled to understand. As a result, they have frequently failed to develop their Formula One prospect. This reduction in performance, along with Lewis Hamilton’s transfer to Ferrari, has heightened internal tensions inside the squad. With a poor seventh-place performance at the recent Monaco Grand Prix, things do not look good for Mercedes and Hamilton. During a recent appearance on a talk show, Hamilton took a sly dig at the struggling W15.
Hamilton Highlights W15’s Performance Issues
Lewis Hamilton is on the brink of fulfilling his childhood ambition of racing for Ferrari, but he has an uphill battle this season. The British driver has only 42 points from eight Grand Prix races. Despite his desire to finish his final season with Mercedes on a good note, the W15’s problems limit his performance. Although Mercedes is always working on changes, core flaws remain. This was clear when the squad had a great start in Monaco on Friday but stumbled again in qualifying. George Russell attempted a different front-wing layout, but Hamilton refused to take the risk. Fans think Mercedes fails to give the seven-time world champion the support he needs as he prepares to leave. Moreover, Lewis has voiced his disappointment with the technical team since 2022. This was the reason for the conflict between the team management and the British racer. Recently, he has made several remarks on the off-pace W15, which seems beyond repair.
The seven-time world champion has yet again made a witty comment on the Mercedes F1 car. Hamilton appeared on the famous YouTube talk show on the channel ‘First We Feast.’ The host, Sean Evans, asked him when he felt most in conflict with machinery. To which Hamilton quickly replied, ‘Right now, at the moment, is every second.’ Further, he talked about the difficulty of driving slow machinery as you must put brakes on the corners to go longer. It also complicates pitting, as the driver isn’t sure if they’ve extracted every ounce of performance. Hamilton previously stated that on some tracks, the car struggles with fast corners, while on others, it struggles with slow corners. Thus, he feels the team cannot reach a ‘sweet spot.’
‘Ferrari Hasn’t Won A Constructors’ Title Since 2008,’ Says Toto Wolff
On the flipside, Toto Wolff fired shots at rivals Ferrari and Red Bull. The Mercedes boss was addressing the team’s lackluster performance. The Mercedes team has failed to win a single race since 2022. Moreover, they are far off from competing for the world title.
Therefore, during an interaction, Wolff said Ferrari has not won a world title since 2008. Whereas, Red Bull failed to win a title for eight years straight as the German marque dominated the cricuit. Withal asserted that eight years and sixteen years is much more than three years. It implies the team boss has complete confidence in his team as they strive to stage a comeback.
