Lewis Hamilton acknowledges that the ongoing struggles of the Mercedes Formula 1 team are a result of the inadequate groundwork laid at the beginning of the ground effect era.
Mercedes entered the latest F1 regulations as the dominant team, having achieved an unprecedented eight consecutive Constructors’ Championships from 2014 to 2021.
However, the German team has been unable to replicate that success, with Red Bull now taking the lead in the sport.
Despite making changes to their car concept and abandoning the unsuccessful ‘zeropod’ solution on the W15, Mercedes has had its worst start to a season since 2011.
Hamilton revealed that Mercedes had to remove 90 points of downforce in 2022 to address bouncing issues, highlighting the team’s failure to establish a stable foundation.
When asked if Mercedes had identified the reasons for their struggles with the current regulations, Hamilton responded, “We haven’t figured it out yet, it’s not over.
“But in this sport, it’s naturally challenging.
“If you start off on the right foot with a solid foundation, you can continue to build upon it. That’s what we experienced in previous years.
“However, with this generation of car, we started with an unstable foundation. We had to rebuild and make changes, sometimes losing our way and then finding it again. It’s a very complex process.”
Hamilton has commended the united spirit and principles that Mercedes still upholds, despite its ongoing decline extending into a third consecutive season.
“I’ve been with the team for a long time so I am already well acquainted with the ins and outs of the team, so I wouldn’t say I’ve gained any new knowledge during this period,” the British driver stated.
“The team has shown remarkable resilience. There are individuals here who have been part of the team for over 20 years, enduring both the highs and lows.
“There are also those who joined during our successful period and only experienced the good times that the team has had, but are now facing the challenges.
“What truly sets this team apart is our exceptional core values. The team continues to make its presence felt not only on the track but also off it.
“Sure, we are not achieving the victories that we strive for, but it’s not always about the end result, it’s about the journey, right? And we are all in this together.”
Hamilton believes that Aston Martin and McLaren’s respective comebacks last season prove that Mercedes should not give up on returning to the front.
“I think it’s a matter of perspective,” the seven-time champion added. “For us, of course, we haven’t had the start to the season that we desired, and we have a long way to go.
“We have seen in the past – like last year, for example – how things can change for certain teams. Look at Aston Martin or McLaren, who started off on the wrong foot or vice versa.
“So anything can happen in this sport. We just have to absorb as much information as we can, stay positive, work hard, and as I always say, it’s not about how you fall, but how you get back up. We will continue to strive and fight, hoping that we can be at the forefront at some point.”