When the turbo-hybrid era kicked off in 2014, Mercedes started dominating the world of F1. This dominance seemed to be never-ending with no outfit coming close to dethroning them. That was until Red Bull and Max Verstappen took over the baton from a Lewis Hamilton led Mercedes. Now, Hamilton is without a race-win since 2021 but heading into the 2024 season, James Allison feels that the winning mentality hasn’t gone astray.
Allison, who is Mercedes’ technical director, feels that successful drivers are always hungrier for more victories. This stems from the fact that once they taste success, going too long without it makes them long for it even more. The same is the case with Hamilton.
As reported by Motorsport, Allison said:
“In Lewis’s case, it’s just a core part of who he is, so there’s no doubt about his motivation to get back to winning ways.
There is little doubt surrounding Hamilton’s abilities in the paddock despite him being 39 years old. Mercedes fell off after the new regulations came into effect in 2022, which gave way to the opportunity Red Bull capitalized on. Heading into the 2024 season, Mercedes wants to make sure that they bridge the gap to the Milton-Keynes-based outfit at the very least.
Huge responsibility on Lewis Hamilton and George Russell’s shoulders
A team can develop the best car that is theoretically capable of winning every race and championship. However, on the track, it all depends on how the driver is performing. This is the point Allison emphasized while talking about Hamilton and his teammate George Russell.
He expects them both to return to Brackley physically fit and motivated to tackle what is going to be the longest F1 season of all time. Nonetheless, he did say that the entire team is working hard to deliver the best car possible to Hamilton and Russell.
Before Lewis Hamilton retires, the one record he wants to break is that of the most championships won in F1. He is currently tied at the top with Michael Schumacher (7). At 39, time is running out for the Stevenage-born driver, but as Allison suggested, his efforts aren’t diminishing.
