John N
Despite Lewis Hamilton scoring a podium in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix (amid a double retirement for rivals Red Bull), the Saudi Arabian round was the first not to feature a Mercedes in the top five on the grid since the 2013 Italian Grand Prix – while Lewis Hamilton suffered his first performance-related Q1 elimination since 2009. The team has been honest in their assessment of their performance struggles, which appear to center around being unable to run the W13 at its optimum ride height without suffering from ‘porpoising’ or bouncing.
“We are in a learning race and the first two weekends have shown we still have plenty to learn. Lewis and George are making an important contribution to the overall providing feedback, spending time in the simulator and working together to help push us forward. So, there are various challenges ahead of us, that’s something we relish, and is when a team really shows its true spirit.”
MERCEDES BOSS TOTO WOLFF
He also acknowledged the contributions of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton to the development of the W13 – with Hamilton having famously increased his participation in Mercedes’ simulator program back in 2021 to help push forward the developments that ultimately netted Mercedes a record-extending eighth-straight constructors’ crown.
“Lewis and George are making an important contribution to the overall effort, providing feedback, spending time in the simulator, and working together to help push us forward said, Wolff.
