Mercedes has listened to Hamilton’s wishes on 2024 F1 car

Final 12 months, Mercedes caught to its troublesome 2022 idea, which it realised was a mistake as quickly because it confirmed as much as winter testing.

The workforce rallied to complete second within the constructors’ championship, however the recalcitrant dealing with and lack of predictability of the W14 left each Lewis Hamilton and George Russell struggling for consistency.

Mercedes has appeared at this weekend’s Bahrain season-opener with a closely revised W15, which options much-anticipated design adjustments in addition to a extra rearward cockpit place, which was certainly one of Hamilton’s requests.

Final 12 months Hamilton stated Mercedes did not hearken to him because it determined to hold over its so-called ‘zeropod’ idea, however based on Russell the workforce has now granted the seven-time world champion’s needs, which is one thing Russell helps.

“Lewis and I’ve put out an enormous quantity of labor into serving to steer the workforce within the path we wish to go,” Russell stated.

“Clearly with Lewis’ expertise, the automobile has been designed round his needs with the automobile being sat additional rearwards than we have been final 12 months, the Purple Bull-esque sidepods on the facet and a barely completely different steering rack.

“So, it is good that the workforce have form of been listening to that, however we have to see if that interprets into lap time.

“I feel we hit the bottom in an excellent place. However in the end, there’s just one factor that issues, and that is the lap time.”

George Russell, Mercedes-AMG F1 Workforce

Photograph by: Steve Etherington / Motorsport Pictures

When requested if the adjustments Hamilton pushed by means of additionally swimsuit him, he replied: “I am pleased with the adjustments that have been pushed into this automobile and I feel as any driver you simply have to adapt to no matter you are given.

“We’re sitting additional rearwards this season. For me, it is a small change, not higher, not worse.”

He added: “Lewis and I’ve at all times had very comparable feedback in barely alternative ways. He was speaking so much concerning the seating place, I used to be speaking so much concerning the rear being unstable.

“And in the end, we’ve cured that downside, we imagine, in a variety of changers that have been completed. There’s by no means one silver bullet.”

Russell stated he has not seen any change to Hamilton’s dedication to creating the W15 work in his closing season with Mercedes, earlier than he departs for Ferrari subsequent 12 months.

“We each work actually laborious on the simulator, I feel Lewis is there greater than he is ever completed,” he stated.

“Lewis remains to be motivated, and we’re working rather well collectively as a workforce. We have been within the manufacturing facility over the course of the weekend, each within the simulator on Saturday and on Monday a giant workforce assembly with all the primary designers and engineers, and it does not really feel like something’s modified.

“So, we’re nonetheless pushing forward. And we’re excited for what’s to return.

“Purple Bull have such an excellent base in the mean time, however we’ve a powerful base to construct upon.”