Lewis Hamilton has revealed why the seven-time Formula One champion was ‘frustrated’ with Mercedes at the start of the 2023 season in Bahrain.
The Silver Arrows had another disappointing season this year, just beating Ferrari to second place in the constructors’ championship. Hamilton also finished third in the drivers’ standings this season. However, his 234 points were 341 fewer than Max Verstappen’s.
Verstappen might have won the constructors’ title all by himself. In terms of points, Mercedes was Red Bull’s closest competitor. However, the Milton Keynes team won the championship with 860 points, 409 points ahead of the Silver Arrows and 406 points ahead of Ferrari.
Hamilton was winless in Formula One for the second time in 17 years.
With a great performance in the Singapore Grand Prix, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz became the first non-Red Bull driver to win a Grand Prix in 2023. As a result, Hamilton had just his second winless season in Formula 1. It also came on the heels of his first losing season in 17 years.
Hamilton also has the fewest podium finishes in a season since his last year with McLaren in 2013. In 22 races this year, the 38-year-old stood on the podium only six times. In Mexico City, Australia, and Spain, he finished second half of the time.
Mercedes also challenged Red Bull and Verstappen for the victory in the United States Grand Prix. However, because to a poor plan, Hamilton was unable to track down the 2023 champion in time. The stewards would subsequently disqualify the Briton from the race due to excessive wear on his floor.
Mercedes ignored his requests after major urgent worries.
From the outset in Bahrain in March, Hamilton understood that 2023 would be a difficult season for Mercedes. He said at the time that the Silver Arrows were ‘on the wrong track’ after finishing FP1 six-tenths of a second slower than the leaders. The indications were even there during testing.
Hamilton now reveals that the seven-time F1 winner had ‘huge, enormous meetings’ with Mercedes over the team’s vehicle philosophy. He also claims that ‘no one’ on the squad understood how to handle their problems, and that the Silver Arrows ignored his requests.
“I’m sure there were frustrations because I had asked for certain changes, and they weren’t done,” Hamilton told BBC Sport. The Briton added: “No one knew exactly what the problem was. No one knew how to fix it.
“Having the experience of the previous year, I just applied myself, in terms of digging down, sitting with the guys. We were having much better meetings. I was able to stay a lot more positive [things] during the year and be like: ‘It’s going to be a long season but let’s not give up. Let’s keep pushing towards getting the maximum out of the car, whatever that may be.’
“I think for this year they thought: ‘The fundamentals are good and we just have to go here.’ And it was not the case. That’s why I was frustrated in February because they hadn’t made the changes I’d asked for.”
Going for such long stretches without feeling that specific balance between driver and vehicle may cause psychological turmoil, and Hamilton is no exception.
“There are always going to be moments when you’re like, ‘Is it me or is it the car?’.
“Do you still have it? Has it gone? Because you’re missing that… when the magic happens, when everything comes together, the car and you and you get that spark, it’s extraordinary, and that’s what you’re in the search for.
“Of course [I had these moments of doubt]; I’m only human. If anyone in the world tells you they don’t have those things they’re in denial. We’re all human beings.”
