Lewis Hamilton Accepts Defeat as Mercedes Fails Him “Three Years in a Row”

Lewis Hamilton Accepts Defeat as Mercedes Fails Him “Three Years in a Row”
Credits: IMAGO / PanoramiC

Having finished P2 in the constructors’ championship last season, Mercedes hoped to build on the momentum. Resurgence was the no. 1 thing on their mind in 2024, and it looked like they were on the right path. However, the return of one of their worst nightmares has disrupted operations at the Brackley-based team. Much to the surprise of the Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton, porpoising is back to haunt them.

Advertisement

Hamilton was quoted by X user Deni as he spoke to the media about the same in Saudi Arabia. He claimed Mercedes have tried every setup change possible but to no avail. While there was also some bouncing in Bahrain, Hamilton claimed it was nowhere near as intense as in Jeddah. Hence, the Silver Arrows need to come up with a way of doing away with the issue as soon as possible.

“For example Max [Verstappen] is flat through 6, 7, 8 and the balance is just stable. That’s what we’re working towards. We gotta fix it, three years in a row. We gotta get on top of it.”, said Hamilton.

Advertisement

Most of the porpoising is apparent to the viewers on long straights. Drivers such as Max Verstappen are seemingly glued to the ground when roaring down the straights. However, the situation is much different for the Mercedes drivers.

Their car bounces consistently, disturbing the aerodynamic flow of the car. Furthermore, it stops the drivers from putting the pedal to the metal, as it also becomes a risk. Too much porpoising at high speed could also lead to a severe crash.

No relief for Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton since 2022

Ever since the latest ground effect regulations have come into effect, Mercedes has had a tough time finding the right setup with their car. Lewis Hamilton has suffered the most as he has failed to win a single race since the start of the 2022 season.

The primary reason behind a dismal performance in 2022 was the constant porpoising of his car. It gave way to constant and immense back pains for Hamilton. Things got so bad that there were even chances of him missing the 2022 Canadian GP because of back issues. However, it never came to that.

Advertisement

Despite several calls from Hamilton to do away with the 2022 concept in 2023, Mercedes did not listen. They opted to stick with the concept, and it ended up with Mercedes struggling once again. Given the same, the Silver Arrows failed to win even a single race all season for the first time in over a decade.

A new design philosophy in mid-2023 saw Mercedes’ struggles die down a little and allowed them to chase down their competition. However, things are now back to square one, with porpoising once again haunting them.

Related Posts

Sergio Perez has finally revealed a long-standing grudge between him and Max Verstappen, adding fuel to the ongoing Red Bull drama. With tensions high, Red Bull has issued a public apology for the situation, acknowledging their mishandling of the F1 team dynamic. What’s really happening behind the scenes?

Sergio Perez lost his seat with Red Bull at the end of a disastrous 2024 for the Mexican but his two replacements, Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda,…

Lando Norris backed to win home British GP by McLaren boss as he looks to close gap to Oscar Piastri in world title fight!

Lando Norris’s McLaren boss Andrea Stella has backed his man to deliver the first back-to-back win of his career at Sunday’s British Grand Prix. Norris took a…

F1 cult hero hints Max Verstappen is ‘already team-mates’ with rival after spotting what he did at Austrian Grand Prix!

The champion’s unusual behaviour raised eyebrows MAX VERSTAPPEN’s surprising reaction to his crash with Kimi Antonelli in Austria could be because they are ‘already team-mates’, an F1…

Cadillac F1 chief Graeme Lowdon drops ‘experienced’ hint over 2026 driver decision!

Cadillac will join the Formula 1 grid in 2026 as the sport’s 11th team, providing two extra race seats that the likes of Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas…

Prince William’s Latest Action at 43 Has Sent Shockwaves Through the Royal Family! With an Unexpected Change in Titles, What Are the Implications of This Move, and Could It Mark the Beginning of a New Era for the British Monarchy?

Prince William’s Bold Decision: The Changing Face of the British Monarchy The British monarchy has always been a symbol of continuity and tradition, with its royal titles,…

Love Island Star’s Shocking Decision to Relocate to Australia After Struggling to Find Work in the UK

The former islander says that she has become more self conscious after growing an audience on social media and thinks it would be easier to get a…