Andrew Shovlin, the trackside engineering director of the Silver Arrows, does not doubt that Lewis Hamilton can win any race if he gets the right car. Apparently, the W13 car was a life risk for any driver, believes Shovlin. Andrew Shovlin has seen Hamilton very closely and knows how well the champ can feel about how the car is doing. Despite knowing the vehicle was not in good shape, Hamilton drove the car for the team. This example proves his commitment and dedication to the team.
Not only did these technical issues cost Mercedes the last season, but the drivers kept complaining about neck pain and back pain throughout the year. This uncomfortable condition for the drivers became more apparent when Lewis Hamilton was severely injured in Baku at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. While trying to get out of the car, Hamilton was badly bruised back then. Later on, the engineers figured out that the porpoising caused the problem resulting in too much bouncing while driving.
Andrew Shovlin Goes Down The Memory Lane
Andrew Shovlin knows what Lewis Hamilton could have done if he had the perfect car. He has done that several times in the past. But Shovlin relives the memories of the race in Baku, saying, “Even though we knew it was risky, we let the drivers in those dangerous vehicles.” That was a difficult phase for the driver and his relationship with the team. The trackside engineering director believes those moments gave them the impetus to develop new cars that would help the champ and the other drivers of the Brackley-based team win races again.
Meanwhile, Andrew Shovlin remembered to look at the bright side of having such an experienced champion driver in their midst. He mentioned, “2022 was a very challenging year for the team, but it would have been much more difficult without the presence of Lewis Hamilton.” He tried to sound optimistic when he said, “we hope the worst phase is behind us and can look forward to improve and fight for the championship again.”
Why 2022 Was A Test Of Mental Toughness For The Silver Arrows But Even More For Lewis Hamilton?
According to Planetf1, Andrew Shovlin believes that the 2022 year was difficult for the whole team. But it was an even more demanding phase for Lewis Hamilton. The seven-time champ was fighting to retain his world title, but more than that, he wanted to prove a point. By the close margin, Hamilton had to accept defeat at the hands of Red Bull driver Max Verstappen. This was very difficult to swallow. He was looking for redemption. But the Mercedes team could not provide him with a car to help him reach his goal.
The biggest challenge during that phase for the team was not to give up on each other. Their only mantra was to do exactly what was the need at the moment and not think too much. Shovlin believes, “these phases teach you to stick to what is working and change or replace what is not. Furthermore the lessons we learned from this period will help us in our future.” Now the questions are if the W14 cars are ready for the upcoming season? Is Lewis Hamilton back to being one of the title contenders?
