Lewis Hamilton says he needed to “yank” the steering wheel to beat crippling stability points along with his Mercedes in System 1’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Hamilton certified seventh on Saturday after a troublesome qualifying session, explaining Mercedes had discovered one among its automobile parts was “not accurately constructed” and led him up the incorrect set-up route.
His lowly qualifying place prompted Mercedes’ choice to suit him with a brand new energy unit for the race. Following a suspension set-up change, Hamilton began from the pitlane and managed to climb to ninth on the end, however solely after a late conflict between Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz and a late transfer on Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg.
Regardless of the comeback, the seven-time world champion endured a irritating afternoon during which he was seen preventing the Mercedes to get across the Baku road circuit’s tight 90-degree bends.
On the group radio Hamilton talked about his unorthodox driving model, saying: “Do you see how I am driving this factor?”
It was a reference to his large dealing with points, which appeared regardless of solely making small automobile modifications after a extra constructive Friday.
“It was most likely the worst stability I’ve ever had,” Hamilton mentioned. “I had a lot entrance finish and no rear.
“I needed to yank the steering to interrupt the traction on the entrance and slide it by means of each nook. It was the weirdest option to drive.
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15
Photograph by: Dom Romney / Motorsport Pictures
“I knew we’d not be capable to overtake at this time. It’s a type of tracks. I don’t know why our tempo was so unhealthy from our aspect from Saturday.”
After shedding an engine in Australia, Hamilton was due an engine penalty at some stage this season, and Mercedes chief Toto Wolff explains that the group determined to take it in Baku as a result of it’s much more troublesome to cross in Singapore, and the group has excessive hopes for the next spherical in Austin.
“We determined to do the engine change right here and we knew that it was going to be a race of distress, as a result of it is so troublesome to overhaul in Baku,” Wolff mentioned.
“And that is what it was. The second you come nearer, you overheat the tyres and you then go backwards.
“There have been two completely different philosophies and we mentioned it at size. You simply swallow the tablet right here, as a result of ranging from P7 we did not know the place that might have gone, otherwise you do it in Austin. However we really feel that Austin is a chance, in order that was the choice. Proper or incorrect I do not know. It was an in depth name.”
Toto Wolff, Staff Principal and CEO, Mercedes-AMG F1 Staff
Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Pictures
Mercedes is pinning its Austin hopes on a brand new flooring it’s planning to introduce, though its choice to revert to an older flooring mannequin in Azerbaijan hasn’t produced conclusive outcomes simply but.
“The observe is an outlier, however nonetheless, it is not like this was evening and day. We nonetheless suffered from the identical stability efficiency that we had on the brand new flooring. So in Singapore, we’ve got the identical one which’s going to shift over and we have to race that. However from Austin onwards, we’ll most likely go to a brand new specification.”
Mercedes’ puzzling, knife-edge efficiency window was additionally highlighted by George Russell, who struggled within the first stint on mediums however delivered a way more aggressive hard-tyre stint that noticed him earn a podium.
“A troublesome drive at first, I feel it is difficult while you’re in a prepare and also you’re preventing for place, however clearly our automobile shouldn’t be adequate,” Wolff defined. “The stability was not adequate to be actually in a position to sustain, and we suffered from that.
“And the second stint was actually wonderful. Troublesome at first, however as soon as the automobile discovered its stability as a result of George drove it in the best way it should be pushed, then we have been at instances the quickest automobile.
He added: “As a matter of truth that is about who’s getting the stability pretty much as good as attainable, who’s having the tyres in the best window and how much aero idea works properly at a given observe.”
