Ever since the end of the 2021 season, the goal has been the same for Lewis Hamilton: fight and win the eighth championship. However, ever since the end of the 2021 season, the Brit has gotten nowhere near to achieving his goal. In fact, if it weren’t for his consistent efforts and public complaints, Mercedes would’ve never been this close to their chief rival Red Bull. However, even with their current developmental path and the progress team back in Brackley has made with the W14, there is still a considerable gap. This is exactly the cause of Hamilton’s misery yet again, as he blames Mercedes for nullifying his superior racing skills.
There is no doubt Hamilton is one of the greatest drivers to ever grace the sport of Formula 1. His achievements, stats, and longevity speak for themselves. However, despite his superior race craft, the Brit is helpless. He is helpless without a car that can help him showcase those skills and the W14 is not capable enough. This is exactly what Hamilton expressed speaking to the media as quoted by F1 Maximaal.
“I always try to rely on my driving skills to make the difference, but this year it’s not enough,” said the Briton. “At Silverstone, we were as fast as Verstappen in qualifying up to turn thirteen. But then we lost time in the high-speed corners.”(Translated by Google)
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This prolonged period of misery is also rumored to be the reason behind the stalled contract negotiations. However, the Mercedes boss Toto Wolff doesn’t see it that way.
Despite consistent complaints, Toto Wolff goes against Lewis Hamilton with a burst of optimism
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The 2023 Belgian GP was especially bad for Mercedes, as it brought back poor bouncy memories from the start of the 2022 season. The W14 was porpoising again, showcasing there is still an underlying issue with the W14. However, despite Hamilton’s “so we were back to the bouncing like we had last year,” complaint, the Mercedes boss kept a positive outlook.
Showing a bit of optimism, the Mercedes boss said, “It was an important step for us because last year Spa was a disaster. We feel we have progressed. But then you look at the first in the standings, which has taken another step forward. We just have to turn the situation around.”
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We have seen this difference of opinion on many occasions. However, you can’t agree with everyone all the time and perhaps Hamilton and Wolff’s differing opinions are exactly what the team needs–criticism with a side of optimism.