Janice R. Andrews
Mercedes has shed light on the factors that contributed to Lewis Hamilton’s difficulties with the W15 car in the 2024 Formula 1 season. According to the team’s head of trackside engineering, Andrew Shovlin, Hamilton struggled with a car that was not quick enough and had a narrow set-up window.
Shovlin explained that Hamilton’s issues were exacerbated by his sensitivity to brake locking and snaps of oversteer during qualifying runs. This made it challenging for him to extract the maximum performance from the car, particularly on new tires.
Hamilton’s struggles were evident in his qualifying performances, where he was outqualified by his teammate George Russell 24-6 over the course of the season. However, Shovlin noted that Hamilton’s race pace was still competitive, and he was able to show his true potential in certain races, such as in Las Vegas.
Shovlin attributed Hamilton’s difficulties to the car’s characteristics, rather than any specific issue with his driving style. He explained that the team’s focus for the 2024 season was to develop a car that would allow Hamilton to drive on the limit without suffering from the problems he experienced.
The Mercedes engineer also discussed the challenges of rotating cars on the throttle without overheating the rear tires, which he believes is a critical factor in modern Formula 1 cars. While Hamilton’s braking style may have been a contributing factor to his struggles, Shovlin does not believe it was the primary cause.
Overall, Mercedes’ insights into Hamilton’s W15 struggles provide a fascinating glimpse into the complexities of Formula 1 car development and the challenges of optimizing a car to suit a driver’s unique style.
