Lewis Hamilton’s candid revelation about Mercedes ignoring his 2022 advice has sparked discussions on their F1 collaboration.
Hamilton revealed that Mercedes F1 engineers dismissed his advice regarding the team’s issues in 2022 with the W13.
Spoiler alert! The latest season of Netflix’s Drive to Survive series has shed new light on the deteriorating relationship between Hamilton and Mercedes over recent years, amid their period of reduced competitiveness.
The seven-time world champion admits in the series that he was frustrated Mercedes had disregarded his concerns about the development direction the team had taken with its 2022 car.
Mercedes’ W13 proved to be flawed and won only a single race in 2022 – the first year of F1’s new aerodynamic regulations.
“Last year, I remember complaining to the team and saying, ‘listen, we need to make these changes, otherwise this is the trajectory we’re going to follow, and this is where we’re going to end up, so please, please do something about it.’ Roughly,” Hamilton told the program’s creators in an episode of the sixth series, airing Friday.
Hamilton: Mercedes Dismissal to Ferrari Shift
“I remember they replied, ‘we know what we’re doing, you’re wrong.’ It was really an interesting moment. I thought, okay, I’ll step back, I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes. Then, when we entered the 2023 season, we talked about it again, and they said, ‘oh, maybe you were right.’ And so there…”
While the season was filmed before the announcement of Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari for 2025, it highlights how strained his relationship with Mercedes became over a two-year winless streak.
“My goal was to get back to the top and win another championship. But then, we launch the car in 2023, and it’s the evil sister of the 2022 one,” Hamilton adds in episode 6.
“I really don’t remember what it feels like to have won, I don’t remember what that feeling is. That’s how it is, we just have to take things back into our own hands and acknowledge that we didn’t do things correctly, that we made the wrong decision, and start making significant strides in the right direction… before it’s too late.”
Hamilton Critiques Mercedes, Eyes Ferrari Move
During a post-race debrief at the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix, the race during which Mercedes finally abandoned its controversial zero sidepod concept, Hamilton is heard telling his team, “The weakest part of the car is the rear.”
“That wing is really as wide as a barn door, there’s too much drag. Last year was the same, and the year before that, too.”
Hamilton also talks about his decision to sign a contract renewal with Mercedes last summer.
“Okay, we’ve had two tough years, but I still believe that Mercedes and everyone on this team have the capacity to build a great car. You just have to make a leap of faith. Toto [Wolff] listened to me. There’s never a moment when I won’t be a Mercedes driver. This is my home, this is my family.”
6 months later, Hamilton decided to move to Ferrari…
Hamilton’s Advice Ignored by Mercedes in F1 2022. Hamilton’s Advice Ignored by Mercedes in F1 2022
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