After two years without a Formula One win, Lewis Hamilton finished the F1 2023 year in a downbeat fashion. Even Christian Horner sympathised with the seven times world champion over his dramatic fall from success when he responded to questions over why representatives of the British driver may be searching for a new team where Lewis may find greater success.
Hamilton reversed the pecking order established by George Russell following the debacle in Abu Dhabi 2021. The newbie driver outscored Hamilton in 2022 raising questions as to whether he had the drive to continue at the top level of the sport. This year Lewis outscored his team mate by 54 points though Russell with a late surge in the closing races levelled the qualifying totals at 11-11 for the year.
Mercedes gap to Red Bull enormous
Red Bull have established a substantial lead over the field since the new ground effect regulations came into force and no team in the history of F1 has has closed the kind of gap the world champions had over the field as the 2022 season drew to a close.
When asked whether or not Mercedes can fight Red Bull for the title in 2024 Hamilton confessed: “At this moment, I don’t really know. For Red Bull to win by 17 seconds and they haven’t developed their car since August is definitely a concern.”
With stable regulations for next season and Pirelli tyres unchanged, Hamilton is correct to observe the enormity of the challenge for the rest of the field to catch the all dominant Red Bull Racing and Max Verstappen.
Add into the mix, Mercedes have lost many of the ‘top dogs’ wh9 were responsible for the team’s success before the era of the ground effect cars. Hamilton admits the remaining technical team are trying their hardest, but is unsure whether they know how to deliver him a championship winning car.
“We have learned a lot about the car and it’s just down to the team now. They know what they need to do. Whether or not we will get there, we will see.”
Wolff “sportsmanlike” comments reveal he forgets his own team’s antics
Hill concerned over Hamilton mental state
Damon Hill the 1996 F1 champion was concerned about Hamilton’s mindset when he observed after the Abu Dhabi race:
“But the worrying thing is when Rachel [Brookes] asked him about hope on what’s coming, he wasn’t effervescent about it.”
Clearly Lewis is aware of the monumental size of the challenge his F1 team faces and appears very uncertain if they can bridge the gap to Red Bull.
“I have no idea where the car is going to be next year. But we are a long, long way away. We’ve got to hope the next sixth months has to be the greatest six months of development that we’ve ever had just to close that gap, to be really banging on the door.”
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Mercedes huge gamble changing ‘every component’
Hamilton turns 39 before he next takes his seat in a Formula One car and the time is ticking for him to claim the record eight world title he so craves.
The team have been set a huge task before the new car hits the track in anger in just over twelve weeks time. Toto Wolff revealed, “We are changing the concept. We are completely moving away from how we laid out the chassis, the weight distribution, the airflow.
“I mean, literally, there’s almost every component that’s being changed because only by doing that, I think we have a chance.”
However the Mercedes’ boss is aware of the risks to this approach admitting, “We could get it wrong also. So, between not gaining what we expect, catching up and making a big step and competing in the front, everything is possible.”
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Wolff pessimistic about 2024
Wolff is clearly concerned over the challenge his technical team has been set claiming, “I have never in my life felt optimistic about anything.
“It may sound a bit miserable, but it’s protected me about managing my expectations and just pushing harder. Because I think it’s never good enough. That’s why I sit here with a bitter-sweet feeling. We won P2 [in the constructors’ championship], but we lost P1,” Toto reflected.
With the giant leaps Aston Martin made at the start of the year when their car was clearly the second quickest to the RB19 and the remarkable turnaround McLaren made after eight races this may lead to optimism in the Mercedes camp – but also proves they will face even tougher competition in 2024.
“I think we need to take it on the chin, be humble about it and consider it a good day,” Toto continued.
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McLaren F1 show the way
“Nevertheless, there’s a Mount Everest to climb in order to catch up with Red Bull. I have no doubt that McLaren is going to be right in the mix next year, and maybe Aston Martin and maybe others.
“We must leave no stone unturned, which we do in Brixworth and Brackley. And as tough as it is to be reminded that it’s just P2, it’s also a great, great opportunity to come back and strive for the stars.”
Lewis Hamilton appeared to get himself together after the final media interviews in Abu Dhabi when he later posted on social media:
“We know there’s a lot of work to be done… I promise you, getting there will be exhilarating, and seasons like this will make it all the more satisfying when we do.”
Hamilton told to be more diplomatic
Questions over Mercedes’ technical director
McLaren were better than Ferrari or Mercedes in terms of points scored form the Austrian Grand Prix onwards following their seismic upgrade to the MCL60.
Ferrari having fallen back from the challenge were clearly the stronger team over the last 6 races as they closed a nigh on 60 points gap to Mercedes to just three after the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi.
There are yet questions to be answered about whether James Allison who has been reappointed as Mercedes’ technical director has the ability to turn around the failing car designs produced in Brockley over the past two seasons.
Allison was recruited by Mercedes after leaving Ferrari and Italy following the death of his wife, but his record as technical director was inconclusive.
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If W15 fails, 2026 is the next chance
He oversaw an already dominant team when joining in 2017, but the cars conceived under his watch resulted in an ever diminishing margin of performance relative to the rest of the field and his final 2021 creation famously lost out to Max Verstappen as lewis Hamilton’s dreams of an eight world championship were crushed.
Allison replaced Mike Elliot who was responsible for the new ground effect Mercedes F1 cars and such was Elliot’s disgrace, he chose to leave there team just a few months later to pursue another career.
If Mercedes fail with their W15, then the game is up until at least 2026 when the next big F1 rule changes come into effect which will see new power units and new car designs begin the next era of the sport.
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With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
Any man who wears a dress is mentally unstable!
What a pleasant comment
They would do well to remember how Ross Brawn renewed Ferrari. Mercedes need a Ross!
They had one and Toto screwed him over for Paddy Lowe…
What no one seems to notice….
The man that happily calls himself a 7-time wdc. The man that regularly states he will never give up, keep fighting, motivate the team, work harder… is the same man that is the first to jump ship. His comments, attitude, uninterested, unmotivated comments and behaviour are telling the real story. Practically áll drivers have or had, more or less inferior material during their careers. But they keep their head down and try to drive the wheels of their car. Every single race. In good times and bad times.
Not so sir LH. If the game does not let him win easy, he doesn’t want to play anymore. And it’s other people’s fault.
Verstappen has a technique of braking late, inside line (if you give him half a sniff), across the corner to the outside of the exit thus cutting off the other driver. We saw it again in Vegas. The rule about if your wheel is in front at the apex allows this because he brakes so late. But he then gives the outside driver no room on the exit. And the Stewards let him away with this and LH knows it. Thus LH is driving for money – lots of it. Unless the rule is changed then MV will pass you every time however as we see he has the faster car these days anyway.
Even in LH championship winning days later in his time, if the car was not right or he started from further back in the field he had often lost the fighting spirit to get the very best out of his car and get up to the front again.