In Monaco, Lewis Hamilton opted to use the previous model of the Mercedes front wing.
Although Lewis Hamilton blamed his Monaco qualifying defeat to George Russell on the latter receiving Mercedes’ new front wing, Jenson Button says it was a “decision between them” with Hamilton not wanting to risk running the wing in qualifying.
Hamilton secured a seventh-place qualification for the Monaco Grand Prix, narrowly trailing behind Russell by a mere 0.08s.
Mercedes team-mates ‘made the decision between them’
Hamilton put the deficit down to his team-mate running Mercedes’ new front wing with the Brackley squad only having one wing ready in time for the Monaco Grand Prix.
“I anticipated it would be difficult to outqualify George because he has the upgraded component, but it’s just great to see that we are bringing upgrades,” he said after qualifying.
“It’s frustrating that I am aware beforehand that I will lose two-tenths during qualifying.”
The driver, who will soon no longer be associated with Mercedes, further commented, “I do not expect to outperform George in qualifying, especially this year. However, we must continue to persevere and perform strongly during the races.”
When questioned about the reason, he responded with a smile, saying, “We will find out.”
However, although Hamilton’s remarks may suggest a bias towards Russell, Button, the 2009 World Champion, claims that, based on what he has heard, both drivers were given the opportunity to use the wing and Hamilton declined.
Button explained to Sky F1 that, based on our understanding, they mutually agreed on which driver would utilize the front wing.
“He was reluctant to risk his position in the qualifying round, potentially causing damage and subsequently starting at the back with a new front wing for the race, as it is a distinct component.”
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‘New territory’ for Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes
Former W Series racer Naomi Schiff believes that Hamilton will need to adapt to any potential favoritism within the team, considering his departure from Mercedes to join Ferrari at the end of the season.
She mentioned that Lewis hinted at the fact that Russell has a new component on his car, which she finds quite intriguing.
Lewis has held the top position as the driver for that team for numerous years, making him the current most accomplished driver in Formula 1.
Lewis is likely experiencing unfamiliar territory in terms of the psychology involved in being the driver who is not favored, something he is probably not accustomed to.
I believe it might be difficult to accept, but I am confident that he comprehends the circumstances.
However, we must commend George for his performance. Not only does he have that component on the car, but he also faced difficulties during practice, including car issues and fewer laps compared to others. Despite these challenges, he managed to bounce back and did a fantastic job.
According to Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin, both drivers will be equipped with the upgraded wing for the upcoming race in Canada. Shovlin stated, “For the next race in Montreal, both cars will have it.”
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