Mercedes has been unable to end their nightmare since the summer break. The team was on a roll before the summer break, but things have changed drastically. The W15 is no longer competitive, as even with the latest specs, Lewis Hamilton was unable to gather pace. Meanwhile, George Russell was competing for a victory but was pushed back after the red flag. Therefore, the Sao Paulo race had no stroke of luck for the German Marque.
Russell narrowly missed a podium finish, ultimately placing fourth, just one second behind Alpine’s Pierre Gasly. In contrast, Hamilton struggled throughout the weekend, finishing tenth place after being eliminated in Q3 during qualifying. However, the Mercedes team, which is already facing challenges with the cost cap, was fined €5,000 for violating FIA regulations.
Mercedes Penalized For Tire Pressure Adjustments On Hamilton and Russell’s Cars
FIA technical delegate Jo Bauer reported that both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell made tire pressure adjustments during the period after the race start was aborted but before it officially began. The rain-soaked Brazilian Grand Prix experienced an aborted start when Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll got stuck in the gravel during the formation lap. In the aftermath of this chaos, drivers Lando Norris, Yuki Tsunoda, George Russell, and Liam Lawson completed an additional formation lap, disregarding the proper procedure following an aborted start. The FIA announced that all four drivers would be investigated after the race.
This disarray caused a 10 additional minutes of delay before the race could start. During this time, Bauer discovered that Hamilton’s and Russell’s cars underwent tire pressure adjustments between the signals indicating the rescheduled race start. He noted that the tire pressure was adjusted while the wheels were still attached to the cars. Bauer highlighted that these actions contradicted Technical Directive TD003 N, specifically items 2.c) and 2.h)i., and referred the matter to the stewards for further review. Technical directives can be issued during the race season to address technical elements the FIA finds concerning.
After the race, the FIA confirmed that Mercedes would be fined €5,000 for the tire infringement involving Hamilton’s car (No. 44) and an additional €5,000 for Russell’s car (No. 63). The stewards concluded that a more severe penalty was not warranted in this situation due to the considerable confusion surrounding the race start.
“We were slow,” Lewis Hamilton Reflects On Another Disappointing Performance
After another challenging race, Lewis Hamilton expressed frustration with the team’s performance, stating they were simply too slow. He described the car’s handling as difficult, making it a tough outing for him and the team.
Despite the disappointing results, the Briton took a moment to acknowledge his crew’s hard work. He thanked the team members in the garage who arrived early that morning and maintained a strong effort throughout the weekend. He also recognized the contributions of everyone at the factory, highlighting their dedication to the project. Moreover, Hamilton noted that the team had the potential to secure a win, mentioning that at least one of their cars showed better performance during the race, suggesting that the overall capability was there, but the execution fell short on race day.
