Last Updated on May 19 2024, 5:24 pm

Lewis Hamilton is leaving the Mercedes family which have supported his entire Formula One career, yet far from him being given second billing by the team, Lewis benefitted from a strategy decision at the Emilia-Romagne Grand Prix which saw George Russell relegated behind the seven times world champion.

The decision appeared surprising given in the six Grand Prix prior to the start of the European season, Russell has had the beating of his team mate out qualifying Hamilton 5-1 and finishing ahead in the races by the same measure. 

 

 

 

Hamilton refuses extra pit stop

Mercedes had a lonely race running in a net P6 and P7 behind the front runners but almost a pit stop ahead of the chasing field. Sergio Perez had been running an alternative strategy which saw him run long on his first set of tyres to pick up places as those ahead stopped for fresh rubber.

Once the pit stops had shaken out, Perez was around 27 seconds behind Hamilton but crucially Russell ahead of lewis could pit and return to the track ahead of the Red Bull driver. Hamilton appeared to be offered the opportunity to claim the fastest lap of the race by switching late onto the soft tyre at a second pit stop however this would require initially losing a position to Perez which Hamilton did not want to do.

None of the other drivers in the points scoring positions had the luxury of being able to make a second tyre switch and so the point for the fastest lap was there for Mercedes on a plate. The team then turned to Russell to assist them in their search for the extra point but George correctly identified this would mean he would lose out to his team mate at the chequered flag.

Russell asked whether Lewis would give him back the place if did as requested and the response swiftly came back a negative. Russell dutifully acted in the interests of the team, stopped, claimed the fastest lap adding one point to Mercedes total, yet he finished one place behind his team mate.

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Lewis little to be positive about

Having made the second stop, Russell valiantly attempted to close down the 25 second gap to Lewis but in the time available he could only halve the gap the the former seven times world champion. Hamilton was 35 seconds behind the race winner as the Mercedes upgrades again failed to impress.

Hamilton was asked by Sky F1 after the race what he would take away from the weekend.

“We got points so thats a positive,” said Lewis. “But we were in the middle of no mans land. But I think that was a strong finish in general for us. I don’t think there was much more for us to get.”

“I don’t think its particularly tough, its where we are and you just have to do the best you can.”

Mercedes key person brain drain continues

 

 

 

George not going to “sulk”

Hamilton avoided the difficult questions about the Mercedes switch of its drivers, yet being so publicly handed a place by your team mate is surely embarrassing for someone who once dominated F1.

Russell appeared deflated in the media pen and said: “You’re never going to be happy with a P6 or a P7, at the end of the day as a team we scored on extra point, I lost my position to Lewis but I’m not going to sulk over losing a P6.”

Clearly George felt it was a poor place in which he found himself as he heads into 2025 probably as the team leader for Mercedes.

“This is where we are right now in no mans land behind the Ferraris and the McLaren’s but ahead of the mid field.

Verstappen slams Hamilton

 

 

 

Russell expects similar in Monaco

“To be honest, everyone is staying super motivated, morale is not dropping at all – its really quite inspiration because everyone is trying to make this work, improve it.

“Everyone in Brackley and Brixworth are working full gas right now so that’s really great to see and we’ve just got to keep on pushing. At the end of the day this weekend we maximised the car that was capable of P6 and P7. That’s where we qualified and that’s where we finished.

When asked about his hopes for Monaco Russell believes the pecking order will be the same.

“I don’t think the grid will be shaken up too much to be honest. Its pretty impressive to see what McLaren are doing right now. They were the slowest twelve months ago and now they are the quickest arguably. So it shows what’s possible when you find that silver bullet. I expect us to be in a similar position to this weekend.”

Newey banned from Red Bull design meetings

 

 

 

Kravitz: Russell deserved P6

Veteran F1 pit lane reporter Ted Kravitz in his post race notebook review revealed Mercedes “thought George Russell’s tyres were going to fall off a cliff and he was going to plummet and maybe Lewis and Perez would have him as well.

“In the end who knows what would have happened, but the result was Lewis was sixth, when George deserved sixth, George did though get the fastest lap for an extra point for the team which is important.”

“I would suggest if I were Mercedes, they should give give George some kind of bonus and thank you present for  sacrificing a glorious P6 and getting the fastest lap for the team. 

“If I was George I would demand an extra tot of rum – using a navel tradition – or at least free strawberry milkshakes for life, for giving up sixth place which should have been his today.”

Hamilton defends Antonelli to Wolff

 

 

 

Vasseur makes it clear Hamilton will not be No. 1

This weekend in Italy once again shows why Ferrari is unique amongst all the Formula One teams. Firstly they are the only competitor remaining since the inception of the sport back in 1950, but more importantly in their home country they are treated like a national team. If Ferrari wins people go to work on Monday with a smile on their faces, but when they lose the staff canteen becomes a sombre place.

Ferrari is also the most successful team in the history of the sport. With sixteen constructor championships they dominate the field with Williams behind on nine and Mercedes together with McLaren have eight each. Even the currently uber dominant Red Bull Racing has scored just six in the nineteen years since they were revived from the ashes of the Jaguar F1 team… READ MORE