Formula One team Mercedes has been going through a rough patch. It is mainly because of their drivers, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, failing to win a single Grand Prix so far in 2023. Besides Red Bull, the only team to taste victory this season has been Ferrari. Hence, it is all the more reason for the Silver Arrows to feel annoyance. The two other powerhouses have tasted victories, but they are the only powerhouse still winless. The car has been the root of all the problems. But if that was not enough, then the media also noticed a potential rift kind of situation developing between the Mercedes drivers.
On top of that, the way the Qatar Grand Prix ended was all the more reason to worry about the dynamic between Hamilton and Russell. In the very opening lap of the Qatar Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton crashed into George Russell’s car. It was a very high-stakes clash. Moreover, the collision resulted in a premature end of the race for Lewis Hamilton as he went spinning into the gravel. But even after the spin, George Russell continued to race and narrowly missed out on a podium finish. Russell earned 12 points for his team in the Qatar GP. But after the clash, there were heated exchanges over the radio.
Mercedes F1 Will Discuss To Maintain Unity Within The Team
However, later, Lewis Hamilton accepted his fault and said he realized that Russell had nowhere to go when the clash happened. Even George Russell seemed to come to an understanding of the situation and calmed down soon enough. Moreover, Lewis Hamilton has denied any rift between him and Russell. He believes he has a great relationship with his teammate. However, Mercedes is unwilling to take any chances. The German team would not want to repeat what happened in 2016 between Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, the eventual champion of that season.
Moreover, The Race reported that Mercedes F1 will conduct discussions with Hamilton and Russell behind closed doors. Currently, both drivers seem to have moved on from what happened in the Qatar Grand Prix. In the meantime, Bradley Lord, the Mercedes F1 Communications Chief, strongly emphasized the unity in the team. The German F1 team believes in its approach to unity. Lord said the drivers feel the same unity as everybody else on the team. Hence, Mercedes has a keen focus on unity inside the team and working towards a successful future on the track.
The W14 Car Is Not Helping The Team At All
Moreover, the car has not been helpful to their cause at all since last year. Mercedes only managed a single victory in 2022. However, the seven-time champion driver remained winless. It was the driver from the Williams team, making his debut for Mercedes, who won the Brazilian Grand Prix last year.
On top of that, George Russell even finished higher in the standings last season than Lewis Hamilton. But in 2023, Mercedes has been winless. However, the seven-time champion performed far better than Russell in 2023. Hamilton is even closing in on a P2 finish. But it might be difficult for the Mercedes driver to beat Sergio Perez in the remaining five races.
