Mercedes have dominated the turbo-hybrid era in Formula 1. However, the regulation reset of 2022 has pinched them harder than others. With a relatively similar but bunched-up field compared to last year, Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton have fallen down the pecking order. And it seems that this might have forced them to take some desperate measures.
In recent news, Lewis Hamilton was seen inspecting Max Verstappen’s car after yesterday’s qualifying session. This sent Twitter into a frenzy as a compilation of memes and fan reactions started flooding the social media platform.
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Social media now seems to dub the Briton as ‘Inspector Lewis’. Well, at least he’s in good company, anyway.
Fans react as Lewis Hamilton eyes Max Verstappen’s Red Bull
Hamilton has been someone who arguably gets a lot of flak for his dominance. However, this time around he has sent fans into a fervor after his post Qualifying antics at the Belgian Grand Prix. Fans took to Twitter to showcase the best reactions from yesterday as Hamilton was seen checking Verstappen‘s car out after Saturday’s qualifying session.
After a bunch of penalties up and down the grid, the Briton is set to start the Grand Prix from P4.
Noooo dontttt doo it😂😂 pic.twitter.com/uuOnDgMBIH
— 𝕀 𝕢 𝕣 𝕒 𝕙 ~ (@iqrahmbhutta44) August 27, 2022
If you can’t beat them you copy them. Inspector Lewis in action pic.twitter.com/08GFC4I0Se
— mercedes.f1motorsports (@MF1motorsports) August 27, 2022
inspector lewis in action 🕵️ pic.twitter.com/YD9nL42G0E
— eri (@hamxnda) August 27, 2022
not george eyeing lewis who's inspecting rbr car's wing😭 he's like "he's not gonna touch it right? should i interfere?" pic.twitter.com/Z1pq5DCzSx
— vic (@aciortv) August 27, 2022
inspector lewis in action 🕵️ pic.twitter.com/YD9nL42G0E
— eri (@hamxnda) August 27, 2022
Hamilton was pretty confident coming into the race week. He even said, “We’re here to cause havoc in the second half of the season.” However, come qualifying, Mercedes were 1.8 seconds slower than Red Bull.
Verstappen registered his pole position lap on his first run itself. He did not go out again like others, as he had to save a fresh set of soft tires for the race. Fans were quick to point that out in light of “Inspector Lewis'” antics.
— AVA (@A__A__G__) August 27, 2022
What was Lewis doing? 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/2P0M9LQvPN
— Ana 🧡 max p1 🏆✨ (@maxvbestie) August 27, 2022
— aristides safeca (@AristidesSafeca) August 27, 2022
Lewis checking out Max's car 😭 pic.twitter.com/UPHWwMe6Nf
— Sophia (@sophiahobbs_) August 27, 2022
What a time to be alive pic.twitter.com/iwfPU3Nd4W
— tia 🏁 (@rbrgirlie) August 27, 2022
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Hamilton has had a difficult year with the Silver Arrows. However, he would have hoped that the summer break would have given the German outfit a chance to rectify base anomalies with this year’s contender.
Even though fans had their fun at Hamilton’s expense, respect for him is massive. Many even took to Twitter to defend the 7-time World Champion.
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Watch This Story: After Transforming African Holiday, Lewis Hamilton Spreads Positivity With Fans in Another Part of the World.
After grid penalties, Hamilton starts today’s Grand Prix from 4th. Verstappen and Leclerc, on the other hand, start the race from P15 and P16, respectively. Can the Mercedes man pull off something special and win his first Grand Prix of this season?