Lewis Hamilton says he needed to “yank” the steering wheel to beat crippling steadiness points along with his Mercedes in Method 1’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Hamilton certified seventh on Saturday after a troublesome qualifying session, explaining Mercedes had discovered considered one of its automotive elements was “not accurately constructed” and led him up the improper 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 by which he was seen combating the Mercedes to get across the Baku road circuit’s tight 90-degree bends.
On the staff radio Hamilton talked about his unorthodox driving fashion, saying: “Do you see how I am driving this factor?”
It was a reference to his big dealing with points, which appeared regardless of solely making small automotive adjustments after a extra optimistic Friday.
“It was in all probability the worst steadiness I’ve ever had,” Hamilton stated. “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 strategy to drive.
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15
Photograph by: Dom Romney / Motorsport Pictures
“I knew we might not have the ability to overtake at present. It’s a type of tracks. I don’t know why our tempo was so unhealthy from our facet 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 staff determined to take it in Baku as a result of it’s much more troublesome to move in Singapore, and the staff 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 stated.
“And that is what it was. The second you come nearer, you overheat the tyres and then you definately 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 may 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 improper 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 ground it’s planning to introduce, though its choice to revert to an older ground mannequin in Azerbaijan hasn’t produced conclusive outcomes simply but.
“The monitor is an outlier, however nonetheless, it is not like this was evening and day. We nonetheless suffered from the identical steadiness efficiency that we had on the brand new ground. 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 in all probability 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 believe it is difficult whenever you’re in a practice and also you’re combating for place, however clearly our automotive isn’t ok,” Wolff defined. “The steadiness was not ok to be actually in a position to sustain, and we suffered from that.
“And the second stint was actually superb. Troublesome at first, however as soon as the automotive discovered its steadiness as a result of George drove it in the way in which it should be pushed, then we have been at occasions the quickest automotive.
He added: “As a matter of reality that is about who’s getting the steadiness pretty much as good as attainable, who’s having the tyres in the appropriate window and what sort of aero idea works nicely at a given monitor.”