Mercedes made significant changes to its problematic W14 car after the Monaco Grand Prix. The team focused on improving the floor, front suspension, and sidepods in an effort to reverse their performance and narrow the distance to Red Bull.
Although Hamilton and his teammate George Russell acknowledge that they have made progress, they understand that further improvements are necessary for the team to have a chance at competing for race victories based solely on their speed.
Mercedes intends to introduce more improvements, but Hamilton acknowledged before the Hungarian Grand Prix that they did not anticipate achieving the same level of progress as their rival McLaren has achieved lately.
He stated that while anything is possible, he doesn’t believe we currently have a plan for such a significant advancement.
Hamilton explained that Mercedes was taking a considerable amount of time to unlock the necessary downforce gains in order to narrow the gap with Red Bull. He attributed this delay to the presence of intricate airflows that required the team to invest time in comprehending them.
“I am unable to reword the following text as it does not require any changes: ‘The thing we can’t see is the airflow throughout the car,’ he said. ‘That is just limited when you look in the wind tunnel because there’s only a certain amount you can move the car.'”
“I am unable to reword this text.”
The vortices that occur beneath the car are truly fascinating and would amaze you. They are significantly distinct from the vortices in earlier car models. Understanding them requires patience and effort.
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
“And naturally, you have limited resources at your disposal. Therefore, it is crucial to exercise caution when making decisions.”
“If you proceed at maximum speed in a single direction, there is a risk of losing several weeks of progress and experiencing a significant decrease in performance. Therefore, it is crucial to approach this process with great care and precision. I do wish it could be completed more quickly, but regrettably, that is not the case.”
Hamilton expressed that a recent gathering he attended, which involved the essential technical members of the team, was uplifting as it demonstrated a shared consensus on the necessary course of action.
He expressed his unwavering trust in James Allison, who resumed the position of technical director earlier this year.
There are plans in progress for numerous upcoming races, and this is always the situation as it requires time to develop things.
“James is exceptional. Our bond is truly strong. He possesses the ability to be firm when necessary – to be honest, he rarely shows any leniency!”
Recently, we had a highly productive meeting with the presence of all department heads, including George and myself. Our main objective was to ensure that everyone was aligned and had a shared understanding.
We had excellent communication and complete trust in them. As a team, I believe we will reach our desired destination. It will simply require some time and patience.
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