Lewis Hamilton admits F1 icon must let ‘demoralised’ Mercedes ‘do their job’

Follow us on Google Discover

Lewis Hamilton has now admitted that he must let Mercedes ‘do their job’ to return to the front of Formula 1 after adopting a more hands-on approach with their 2023 car.

The seven-time world champion is regularly at the Silver Arrows’ factory in Brackley trying to help guide the development of their car. He is keen to help raise the team’s spirits after their difficult campaign in 2023 as Hamilton and George Russell could not deliver Mercedes a win.

It marked the first season since 2011 that Mercedes could not win at least one Grand Prix. It was also only Hamilton’s second season in Formula 1 without a race win as Mercedes failed to reduce their deficit to Red Bull. He was also winless in his 16th Formula 1 season in 2022.

Lewis Hamilton went winless in F1 as Mercedes struggled in 2023

Mercedes have found themselves off Red Bull’s pace since Formula 1 adopted ground-effect regulations from 2022. The Silver Arrows’ radical zero-sidepod concept backfired in 2022 as the Brackley outfit saw Hamilton slip to sixth in the drivers’ standings, his lowest-ever finish.

Hamilton improved his position to finish 2023 in third place but actually scored fewer points than in 2022. He took 234 points last year to the 240 earnt with the W13. The Silver Arrows would also drop their zero-sidepod concept but would not turn the W14 into a race-winner.

The upgrades Mercedes delivered Hamilton and Russell would allow them to take second in Formula 1’s 2023 constructors’ championship. But they ended the season 451 points behind Red Bull. And while Hamilton took P3 in the drivers’ standings, Russell ended the year in P8.

Lewis Hamilton admits the Silver Arrows are ‘demoralised’ after 2023

But Hamilton believes Mercedes now have a ‘north star’ to guide the development of their 2024 car unlike the W14. The Silver Arrows did not know for sure which direction to pursue at the start of 2023. But after a few zigs and a few zags, they now have an idea to work with.

Now, it is up to Mercedes to deliver Hamilton and Russell a car they can win Grand Prix with in 2024. Hamilton took a more hands-on approach at Brackley in 2023 and so far this winter to help raise morale and offer ideas. But it is up to the Silver Arrows to design a race-winner.

“I’m in the factory much more often now, have meetings with all the department heads and try to motivate and encourage them all,” Hamilton said, via quotes by the Express. “As you can imagine, everyone is disappointed and demoralised after this season.

“So, I talk to them, show them where we need to improve and what direction we need to go in. I just try to help them be positive and to say we can do it. I also looked closely at the other vehicles and asked a lot of questions, just to stimulate ideas.

“Ultimately, I have to let them do their job. At the beginning of the season, we didn’t have a north star to guide our development. We kind of ran in zig-zags to find out in which direction the journey should go. Every now and then we came across something positive and thought, ‘That’s it!’ But then it quickly goes in the other direction, which is normal.”