Nico Rosberg explains ‘problem’ facing Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes to win 2024 F1 title

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Nico Rosberg has explained the ‘problem’ still facing Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes as they strive to beat Max Verstappen and Red Bull to the Formula 1 drivers’ title in 2024.

It has been a Red Bull whitewash in 2023 as Verstappen ran clear of the grid to take his third successive drivers’ title. The 26-year-old has won 18 of the 21 Grand Prix so far this year. He has also won 16 of the last 17, including each of the past six, with a run starting back in May.

Given their dominance this season, Red Bull will expect to start the 2024 campaign strongly. Wrapping up the drivers’ and constructors’ titles quickly will have allowed the Milton Keynes team to start working on their new car sooner and get the jump on Mercedes and Hamilton.

Hamilton has now failed to win in 44 consecutive F1 Grand Prix

Mercedes are still playing catch-up to Red Bull after pursuing the wrong concept at the start of Formula 1’s latest ground effect era in 2022. The Silver Arrows ultimately ditched the no-sidepod idea this year. But their change in concept was too late for Hamilton’s title chances.

Hamilton is still enduring the worst – and only substantial – winless run of his F1 career thus far. Having taken at least one win in each of the 38-year-old’s first 15 seasons as a Formula 1 driver, he is now facing two straight campaigns without any wins ahead of the Abu Dhabi GP.

The Stevenage native’s last Grand Prix win came in December 2021 when Hamilton won the Saudi Arabian GP ahead of Verstappen. He has since failed to finish first in 44 races and got P2 results when a win may have been possible, most recently at the 2023 United States GP.

Rosberg addresses Hamilton and Mercedes’ 2024 title chances

The FIA stewards ultimately disqualified Hamilton from his P2 for the 2023 United States GP after finding the floor of his Mercedes had worn excessively. But his 2016 title rival, Rosberg, believes the Silver Arrows’ pace at COTA should encourage the squad ahead of next season.

Rosberg saw potential for Mercedes and Hamilton to be optimistic about their 2024 F1 title chances at COTA. But the 2016 champion feels the Silver Arrows must ‘still’ overcome a lack of consistency to provide Hamilton a car capable of winning his record eighth drivers’ crown.

“We’ve seen flashes of brilliance from the Mercedes team just recently,” Rosberg has told the Daily Mail. “They lack consistency. But look at Austin. They were challenging for the win there and actually had the fastest car over the weekend.

“So, we’ve seen that they’re starting to understand the car and they just have the problem that you still lack consistency. They still lack in straight line performance but they are starting to understand all that.

“I believe in Mercedes’ ability because I was there. I know how strong they are. It’s always still the same people. So, certainly there is a chance that Hamilton could once again fight for the championship next year.”