Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton started 2024 on a bad note, struggling to match with the frontrunners. However, with upgrades, they have improved, and Hamilton earned a P3 finish in Spain last weekend to open his podium haul this campaign. However, the reason behind their previous struggles remains a topic of conversation, and a lot of it has to do with the Briton’s style of driving.
As per Auto Motor und Sport (AMuS), Hamilton’s aggressiveness while driving was taking too much out of the tires. This prevented him from performing optimally in qualifying, and in races.
| According to AMuS, Lewis Hamilton has a very aggressive driving style, braking very hard in corners and accelerating suddenly out of corners.
This makes the tire come out of its working window more easily, especially since the 2024 tires are much more sensitive than it was… pic.twitter.com/MVcbp0Zd8C
— F1_MercHub (@F1MercHub) June 28, 2024
The report states that Hamilton brakes too hard when entering corners and pushes too fast as he comes out of them. As such, the latest Pirelli tires haven’t been able to cope with the Mercedes driver’s style or demand. AMuS further reveals how the current tires are much more sensitive than the ones used before, which leads to degradation much faster.
Hamilton hasn’t won a race since 2021, and although he has been consistent with points, that is not what he is in F1 for. He would be hoping that his struggles at the start of 2024 are a thing of the past. However, there could be other elements contributing to his misery.
Why Lewis Hamilton had his worst start to a season?
Earlier this season, Hamilton revealed that 2024 was his worst start to a season ever. He was being comprehensively outperformed by teammate George Russell, and while tire degradation was an issue, Hamilton’s demands from the rear of the car were also a problem.
The more stable the rear end of a car is, the better lap time a driver will put in. However, the British driver was limited in his abilities because he had to work under restraints.
‼️Sir Lewis Hamilton realizing he has been racing in F1 for 18 seasons…#F1 #AustrianGP pic.twitter.com/dPgqBOpB21
— sim (@sim3744) June 27, 2024
The rear of the W15 isn’t optimal and Team Principal Toto Wolff has spoken about its issues in high-speed corners in the past. During practice and Sprint Qualifying at the ongoing Austrian GP weekend, Hamilton once again struggled to keep his car within track limits and will be hoping for Mercedes to solve the issue before Grand Prix Qualifying on Saturday.
Safe to say, even in the third year of the ground-effect regulations, Mercedes hasn’t been able to crack the code completely. The races in Canada and Spain instilled the Silver Arrows with confidence that they were on a steady path to resurgence. However, the team’s struggles seem to have made a return, with Hamilton securing only P6 for Saturday’s Sprint session after a difficult Qualifying.
