Red Bull-Ferrari Dominance Force Lewis Hamilton to Hang His Head as He Uncharacteristically Admits Defeat: “The Top Two Are in Another League”

For Lewis Hamilton, the W13 has indeed been the persona of the unlucky number 13. Remarkably, after completing 16 years in F1, the Brit has an active streak of winning a race in each year he has been part of the grid so far. However, with the shortcomings of the 2022 Mercedes car, his streak faces a significant threat.

In a season where he aimed to restore his legacy by clinching the record-breaking eighth world title, the only notable battle for him has been the fight against the machine under him. But, the driver inked with “Still I Rise” looks like he has given up in the 2022 F1 season.

Following the Belgium GP Qualifying, Hamilton swallowed a hard pill as all he could salvage was P7 and admitted that there is no light at the end of the tunnel for the Silver Arrows.

He said, “Obviously, everyone is looking for improvements. We came here very optimistic that we’d be close. To be 1.8 seconds behind is a real kick in the teeth, but it is what it is. It’s a car that we continue to struggle with, and definitely won’t miss it at the end of the year.”

“It’s just focusing on how we build and design next year’s car. The top two [Ferrari and Red Bull] are in another league,” he concluded.

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Going into the summer break, the Mercedes looked on the up-and-up but has come out short on performance in its first race back after a four-week hiatus. Do you think the Germans have become rusty?

Is Lewis Hamilton in for a rough Belgium GP?

At Spa-Francorchamps, the worst enemy of the eight-time constructor winners returned, as porpoising. The season started with the team unable to run the W13 at the desired height because of the car bouncing on the straight which made it really uncomfortable for the pilots behind the car’s wheel.

To excel at the Belgium GP requires great straight-line speed, which translates into a trimmed rear wing. However, Lewis Hamilton, who has experimented from the get-go this season, opted for a broad rear-wing which provided extra downforce and performance benefit in sector 2 only.

Therefore, Briton found himself puzzled following the qualifying session and unable to comprehend where the progression made by the team got lost. Another thorn in the side of the Brackley outfit has been the tire warm-up. The W13 is unable to get the tires and brakes in the optimum window which reflects in the lap time produced by the Mercedes drivers.

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On race day, the 37-year-old starts in P4, because of the engine penalties suffered by three drivers ahead of him on the timing sheets. It is a second-row start for him and given that the strength of the German racing car has been its race pace; the Brit is in a shot for a sixth consecutive podium.

Do you think a race comprising 44 laps would prove lucky for the driver racing with the number 44? Let us know.