For eight years in the mid-2010s, there was only one ultimate winner in F1: Mercedes. The Brackley-based outfit won eight consecutive constructor’s championships from 2014 to 2021 while also winning the driver’s championship from 2014 to 2020. With the onset of the 2021 season, the FIA introduced new regulations that affected Mercedes’ performances and gave way to Red Bull to become a top contender in the sport once more. Two years after his dominion ended, Lewis Hamilton admits to Motorsport Week that the latest regulations came in to slow his team down.
The new rules were put in effect to level the playing field across the grid, but Mercedes suffered a fatal drop. They have since worked on bringing in upgrades and have made steady improvements, and are once again aiming to become the top-ranked team on the grid. Lewis Hamilton sat on the throne of F1 for six years between 2014 and 2020, with only 2016 (Rosberg) being the exception.
In his run to a record-equaling six world titles, Hamilton also created the record for most career GP wins (103). However, things have now changed, with Red Bull leading the pack by a mile, whereas the Silver Arrows find themselves consistently fighting in the middle of the grid.
Lewis Hamilton claims FIA changed rules to stop him from winning titles
In the last 25 races in F1, Red Bull has won 24, with their only loss coming at the hands of Mercedes’ George Russell in the 2022 Brazil GP. With the same in mind, Motorsport asked Hamilton if he thought the FIA should bring in new regulations to tip the scales back to maintain the balance. While Hamilton answered he was unaware of the latest proposals being made around the rules, he addressed how the FIA changed them to slow down his team and stop him from winning his eighth world title.
“I don’t know what’s been proposed. I’ve not heard anything. But we’ve experienced lots of changes, which were put in place to slow us down over the years and I think that it was better for the sport.”
Even though the latest regulations hugely benefit the Austrian team, Hamilton believes it has brought positive changes to the sport, too. Looking at the battle in the midfield between Ferrari, Aston Martin, Mercedes, and McLaren, the 38-year-old claims there has been a good battle to become the second-best team this year.
Hamilton calls for leeway for the smaller teams on the grid
In addition to speaking about the changed regulations and their aftereffects, Hamilton also touched upon the need to introduce leeway for the smaller team on the grid so they can develop faster and be able to increase competition on the track. He emphasized the need for a varied cost cap for teams like Williams to catch up quickly.
Williams has been an iconic team in F1, but decades of under-investment and a lack of modern-day technology see them dangling around at the bottom half of the grid. With the help of team principal James Vowles, they tried to get special permission to break the cost cap and get their hands on a new wind tunnel to improve their car, but it couldn’t become a reality. As such, Hamilton raises an important concern for similar teams in hopes of seeing closer competition that keeps getting better.
