Following his retirement in Melbourne, Hamilton expressed his disappointment on Sky F1, stating that it was the worst start to a season he has ever experienced. He compared it to the challenging year of 2009 and emphasized the impact it has had on the team’s morale after putting in so much work during the winter break.
The Mercedes W15 has consistently underperformed in its four races so far. Team principal Wolff and his crew are currently working on finding a suitable setup that will allow their drivers, Hamilton and George Russell, to confidently and consistently drive the troublesome car.
Speaking ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, Wolff mentioned that they have been focused on improving the car’s consistency since their difficult weekend in Australia. Although the car has shown flashes of strong performance, they have struggled to deliver it at crucial moments in the first three races. Suzuka, with its unique mix of high-speed sweeps and low-speed sections, presents a different challenge compared to the previous circuits.
In the 2024 F1 season, Mercedes currently sits in fourth place in the Constructors’ standings with 26 points from three Grand Prix races. They are one point ahead of Aston Martin but trail the leaders, Red Bull, by 71 points. Adding insult to injury, Lando Norris from McLaren, a customer team of Mercedes, has accumulated more points than Hamilton and Russell combined.
Looking ahead to Suzuka, Wolff acknowledged that the race is taking place at an earlier time of year than usual. While this is unlikely to have a major impact, they will need to understand any differences it may cause in terms of track conditions. However, one thing that remains constant is the incredible support from the Japanese fans, which always creates a fantastic atmosphere at Suzuka.
Over the years, Suzuka has been a successful circuit for Mercedes, with six consecutive wins between 2014 and 2019. Hamilton, a four-time winner at the venue, has contributed to their success, along with victories from Valtteri Bottas in 2019 and Nico Rosberg in 2016, both driving for the Silver Arrows. This will also be Hamilton’s last Japanese Grand Prix before he moves to Ferrari next year.