After Falling Face First Due to Mercedes’ Blunder, Lewis Hamilton Shoots Word of Caution to Toto Wolff During Critical Phase

Mercedes were the best team on the grid for almost a decade, having won 8 World Championships in a row. But when the new regulations came into force in 2022, their zero sidepods concept completely trashed the performance of their car. And they still haven’t been able to completely recover from it. In the aftermath of that blunder, Lewis Hamilton has now made Toto Wolff wary of potential problems that they could have to face.

The Briton is the best driver to have raced at the Hungarian GP. He holds the record for the most number of wins (8) at the Hungaroring. His last win at this circuit was in 2020. Now, that F1 returns to it in 2023, he is far away from the podium, let alone a 9th victory. Though he feels that the W14 could be relatively competitive here, he has cautioned Wolff that the Brackley outfit’s progress is not something to be proud of.

Hamilton said, as quoted by Motorsport-total, “Since [in Budapest] it’s more about medium and low speeds, I hope we’re closer. But I’ve heard that Red Bull could have an upgrade package again this weekend. But the others have also made progress. Others have made more progress than we have. I don’t feel like it’s going back and forth in front of us. I think we’re making slow progress.” [translated via Google]

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As the more experienced driver in Mercedes, it is Hamilton’s obligation to give the team insights into the car’s performance and such reality checks as well. But with experience comes a sense of maintaining balance. So, he hasn’t just given a word of caution to the team but he’s also appreciated them.

Lewis Hamilton Keeps the Team’s Spirits High Amid Persistent Underperformance

A 7-time World Champion like Lewis Hamilton knows when the team needs some motivation. So, along with highlighting what they can change, he has also appreciated the internal processes that are already there and flowing smoothly. He might be finding it tough on the racetrack. But he says the team is doing its best to turn things around.

“We had a great meeting just the other day where all the department heads [and] George and I were present to make sure we were on the same page,” said Hamilton. “We trust them 100 percent. I think that as a group as a whole, we will get to where we need to be. It’s just going to take some time.”

For Hamilton, the Hungarian circuit is probably his favorite after his Home GP. Can he pull something magical out of his bag that can surprise the entire grid and make them take notice?

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