In the ongoing Bahrain Testing, it can be said that the Mercedes of 2024 is an improvement compared to its troubled predecessors, the W14 and the W13. This means that Hamilton, who holds the record for the most Grand Prix wins with 103 victories, has not won a race since the implementation of the new F1 rules in 2022.
After completing 123 laps and finishing in third place on day two of F1 Testing at Sakhir, Hamilton expressed his satisfaction with this year’s car. He acknowledged the efforts of the team at Brackley and Brixworth in delivering a much-improved car. Hamilton sees this as a solid foundation for further progress.
The W15 will be Hamilton’s final drive for Mercedes before he moves to Ferrari in 2025. These current cars will continue to evolve over the next two seasons before new rules come into effect in 2026.
During the press conference in Bahrain, George Russell, who drives for the sister Mercedes team, also shared his positive impressions of the car. He acknowledged the improvements made by all the other teams but emphasized that performance is ultimately what matters. Russell believes they have a long way to go to catch up with Red Bull, who were far ahead of everyone else last year. However, he is confident that they now have a better platform to build upon and that the car is no longer as difficult to handle as it was in previous years.
In spite of Hamilton’s imminent move to Ferrari at the conclusion of this season, it seems that the seven-time F1 World Champion is dedicated to the mission of restoring the German team to consistent winning form. This will also mark the end of his two-season winless streak.
However, as the year progresses, it won’t be surprising if things become uncomfortable for Hamilton, Russell, and Mercedes. How much involvement will Lewis have in improving the car’s performance for George next year? What about team orders and determining the new number one driver?
These are all subplots that will likely generate questions as the year unfolds. But for now, within the Mercedes team, it appears that everything is proceeding as usual in the garage. The focus remains on maximizing the potential of the W15 package.
At the upcoming Bahrain Grand Prix, Mercedes will be aiming to achieve a victory, which eluded them last year. Although they secured second place in the 2023 F1 Constructors’ World Championship, their point total was less than half of what the reigning champions, Red Bull, accumulated.
The success of the Mercedes W15 will play a crucial role in giving Hamilton a fitting farewell and establishing Russell as the team’s leader once Sir Lewis departs for Maranello.
According to the Source grandprix247.com