Lewis Hamilton is an integral part of Mercedes and its journey to the top of the F1 tree in the last decade. Now the seven-time champion is 38 years old and fighting with his best efforts on the F1 grid. Hamilton joined Mercedes in 2013 and, since the turbo-hybrid era, has taken this special F1 team to the summit. He has broken all the records an F1 driver can dream about.
Now, Hamilton is on the verge of breaking the most awaited record of the most number of world championships. He jointly holds that record with the Formula One great, Michael Schumacher, winning the title seven times. Fans and experts have been curious and speculating if he can get to the eighth or if he will retire after the 2023 season.
Can Lewis Hamilton Get Back To Winning Ways This 2023 Season?
The reason for speculation is mainly because there has been no new contract signed between Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton. But it seems that both the team and the star are keen on bringing the title back home. The driver’s and the constructor’s title that belonged to them between 2014 and 2020 has been taken away from them. The constructor’s championship was there even in 2021. But they lost it last year to the same team they lost the driver’s title too.
The main problem Mercedes faced last year was with the W13 car. Too much bouncing due to trouble with the porpoising issue, and it cost them the previous season. Nobody came close to Max Verstappen and Red Bull last year. But this time, if Mercedes is able to fix their problem with the car, then the fans can witness another exciting finish like the 2021 season. Perhaps this season, Mercedes may be able to get their revenge.
How Are Things Looking For The Brackley-Based Team?
However, after three days of pre-season tests, the Mercedes car came with new trouble with the balance. According to the team, the bouncing issue is gradually disappearing, but it is not yet ready to challenge Red Bull or even Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton stated after the three days of testing were over that, they were still not at the place where they wanted to be with the W14 car at this stage. But the lack of bouncing has made things a lot easier for the team to get the car ready for the upcoming season. Furthermore, Hamilton has emphasized the fact that they are in a much better situation now than they were a year ago.
Twelve months ago, the team was confused about why the car was bouncing so much. And trying to figure out that reason took them long enough to get back to the title contention. After halfway to the competition, when things got better, it got too late for the Silver Arrows. But fortunately, this time, the team is better prepared to fix the issues with the W14 car and fight back.