Lewis Hamilton appeared broken and downbeat as he gave his final round of media appearances following the Formula One season finale in Abu Dhabi.
When asked whether or not Mercedes can fight Red Bull for the title in 2024 he continued: “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 challenge for the rest of the field to catch the all dominant Red Bull Racing and Max Verstappen.
No team has ever overturned the kind of deficit Mercedes have to Red Bull over a winter break without there being a significant change in the FIA regulations.
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.”
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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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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 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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“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.”
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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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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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