As the Formula 1 community gears up for the 2024 season, Mercedes is actively addressing a pivotal brake-related issue that threatened Lewis Hamilton’s performance during the climactic Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The intensity of the situation was heightened by the fact that this issue almost led to Hamilton’s premature exit from the race. Navigating the challenge, both Hamilton and the Mercedes team strategically managed the problem throughout the final stint, particularly noteworthy as their standing in the constructors’ championship was hanging in the balance.
Hamilton, a seven-time F1 champion, showcased his exceptional skill by guiding his W14 to a commendable ninth-place finish despite the persistent brake concerns. The two points secured from this challenging race became paramount as Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, initially occupying second place, faced a penalty that dropped him to fourth.
This unexpected turn of events propelled Hamilton’s teammate, George Russell, to a third-place finish, securing crucial points that allowed Mercedes to maintain a three-point lead over Ferrari in the constructors’ standings. The meticulous handling of this intricate situation by the Mercedes team underscores their commitment to excellence and strategic prowess as they prepare for the upcoming Formula 1 season.
Providing a detailed clarification on the challenges Lewis Hamilton faced in the concluding stage of the 58-lap race at the Yas Marina Circuit, Head of Race Strategy Rosie Wait explained: “If you picked through the data, and correct for things like the age of tyres, the track condition, Lewis’ performance was actually pretty similar through stint two and stint three but the race situation made it look quite different.”
“In stint two, Lewis was on fresh tyres chasing down Fernando, whereas Fernando was on older tyres and spent most of thatstint in the dirty air of (Oscar) Piastri. That makes Fernando’s performance look worse than it was in reality and Lewis therefore look stronger.
“Take stint three and the positions were reversed. Fernando had slightly newer tyres than Lewis and fresh air, and Lewis was in the dirty air of Fernando with the older tyres, and so that’s why his performance doesn’t look as impressive despite the lap times being quite similar.
“The other thing to be aware of is that Lewis was managing brake issues throughout the race, which was a real reliability concern.
“So, our number one priority was making sure that we got that car to the finish and didn’t have to retire it.
“That will have affected his performance to varying degrees throughout the race and is something that we are certainly working on to improve for next year’s car.”
Despite Mercedes boss Toto Wolff characterizing both his team and Ferrari as “losers” for securing second and third positions respectively behind the dominant Red Bull, Wait emphasizes that the competitive showdown with the Scuderia served as a morale boost heading into the upcoming season.
“Ultimately the aim of all of us here is to win championships and we weren’t able to deliver that this year,” said Wait.
“However, given the performance we had and the challenges we faced, P2 is a really good result and so the mood is really one of happiness and relief of having delivered that P2.
“Now we can move on to putting all of our energies into going one better next year.”
Wait has verified that the advancement of the W15, a model set to diverge significantly from its forerunner, is currently in full swing.
“In terms of the factory, there is no such thing as a winter break,” said Wait. “In fact, away from the race team, the winter period is actually often the busiest time.
“Many people in the factory have been focusing on next year’s car for months, and now that the racing is over, the focus can switch entirely to that, and it’s all hands on deck to get the car ready ahead of pre-season testing and the first race next year.”
