After a title fight that went down to the wire in Abu Dhabi last year, many expected Mercedes to come out all guns blazing this year. However, things haven’t worked out for the Brackley-based outfit.
They currently find themselves third in the constructor’s championship, with neither Lewis Hamilton nor George Russell having won a single race yet.
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In what has been a tough season for the defending champions, they now find their crown slipping to their rivals as Red Bull and Max Verstappen edge closer to their respective Championship titles. However, the pieces of the puzzle finally seem to have been fallen in the right place for the Silver Arrows.
Former F1 driver Karun Chandhok believes Mercedes will be able to challenge for race wins between now and the end of the season.
The Indian told Express Sport, “I agree with them, I think they could win a race, If you look at the race in Holland, they lost their time on that first stint where Lewis had to get past the Ferraris.”
“His race pace, especially when they put the hard tire on, was very, very competitive. If they can qualify on the front row as George did in Budapest, and Lewis could’ve as well but he had that DRS problem in the last run, then 100 per cent they’re in with a chance.”
He also points out that not all the tracks will be as uncompetitive as Spa and added “there will be tracks where their package could work.”
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After coming close to winning in Zandvoort, Hamilton, and co. will be hopeful of a strong finish to the season. They will also look to challenge Ferrari for the P2 position in Constructors Championship.
How did Lewis Hamilton fare at the 2022 Italian Grand Prix?
Mercedes ace Lewis Hamilton started the Italian GP from the back of the grid. The Mercedes driver was penalized for taking his 4th engine of the season.
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Sir Lewis was among the 9 drivers who took penalties in the Italian GP. He started the race from P19 ahead of Yuki Tsunoda and eventually finished at a respectable P5.
Carlos Sainz also took new engine parts and started the race from P18. Hamilton was looking to escape the DRS train as quickly as possible, and he managed to do so with a fairly successful outing.
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With these promising performances, do you think there is light at the end of the tunnel for the Silver arrows? Can Hamilton, although he doesn’t care about the record, get his first-ever win of 2022 before the season ends?