2022 Mercedes-AMG | Petronas F1 Team

[ringo]

He would have been worst off pitting. He would have ended up behind Russel and maybe not able to pass Bottas nor Alonso.
Another lucky day for Russel. the other cars pretty much ensured he had a nice clean run without needing to overtake.
His staying out plan was pretty much what the team would have done anyway.

Lewis did not do anything wrong. Just poor luck with safety cars this season.
The race came perfectly for those who started on the hard tyre.
Lewis went from only need to wait till Russel pitted to get p5 to having to defending with used hards against new softs. No way he was going to keep Russel behind. And in fact he played the team game by not defending too hard.
But good results for the team nonetheless. They are clearly 3rd best. They will at leadt need to try and get a win.
The alfa is a good car but it needs a good second driver. Had they had a good driver they would be giving merc trouble for points.

[ringo]

Lewis needs to smarten up with VSC / SC situations.
Has he learnt nothing after last year?
He should have pitted for softs when he had the chance.
Russell was always going to overtake with fresher tyres so going behind him on softs would have given him a chance of a better outcome.

I don't see why Merc pitwall didn't tell him he needs to pit though instead of asking him as he doesn't know what's happening anywhere but his own car.

In the radio conversations George was adamant to gamble for a late VSC/safety car, while Lewis seemed a bit lost about what to do. But we need the full radio transcript to put it into perspective, it is much too soon to draw the conclusions out of a small part of radio chatter.

I dont think Lewis was in a position to know if he should pit during a VSC. He cannot know where the openings are or the gaps. Its a different decision to make compared to George's. Staying out for rain or sc is actually way easier to do that to decide to come in in the middle of a vsc or sc.

[PlatinumZealot]

Mercedes were hopeful of their pace but I felt they should have started Lewis on hards. Street track, mid field, third best car. Start on hards.

[proteus]

I don't see why Merc pitwall didn't tell him he needs to pit though instead of asking him as he doesn't know what's happening anywhere but his own car.

In the radio conversations George was adamant to gamble for a late VSC/safety car, while Lewis seemed a bit lost about what to do. But we need the full radio transcript to put it into perspective, it is much too soon to draw the conclusions out of a small part of radio chatter.

I dont think Lewis was in a position to know if he should pit during a VSC. He cannot know where the openings are or the gaps. Its a different decision to make compared to George's. Staying out for rain or sc is actually way easier to do that to decide to come in in the middle of a vsc or sc.

Like i said, the whole transcript needs to be published of what was said in that period.

[Tvetovnato]

In the radio conversations George was adamant to gamble for a late VSC/safety car, while Lewis seemed a bit lost about what to do. But we need the full radio transcript to put it into perspective, it is much too soon to draw the conclusions out of a small part of radio chatter.

I dont think Lewis was in a position to know if he should pit during a VSC. He cannot know where the openings are or the gaps. Its a different decision to make compared to George's. Staying out for rain or sc is actually way easier to do that to decide to come in in the middle of a vsc or sc.

Like i said, the whole transcript needs to be published of what was said in that period.

We don't need a transcript to know whether Lewis was "lost about what to do" or not. He was in no position to be lost about anything to start with. He had already made his stop for hards. George clearly wanted to stay out and hope for a VSC or SC which is completely normal since he has nothing to lose and all to gain, so of course he stays out if the tyres hold up. Lewis had made his stop already, and was in no position to try anyting strategically at that point whatsoever. George simply lucked into an SC again, and that was that.

The only thing Lewis was debating with the team about was whether to change tyres or not during the SC, which would mean that he would be behind George with 100 % certainty. He chose not to because the team recommended him to stay out in the end to give it a go. It didn't work out, unsurprisingly.

[PlatinumZealot]

Hard to believe some posters been here for years and can't read the race.

It's a go long and hope SC happens tactic. Nothing more nothing less.

[Tvetovnato]

Hard to believe some posters been here for years and can't read the race.

It's a go long and hope SC happens tactic. Nothing more nothing less.

Exactly. It’s the simplest of observations to make. But people are so hellbent on trying to find mistakes on Hamilton’s behalf that it’s starting to get comical.

[zibby43]

Mercedes were hopeful of their pace but I felt they should have started Lewis on hards. Street track, mid field, third best car. Start on hards.

Hindsight operating quite strongly here. George got swallowed up on Hards early on as they got up to temp. Hamilton could’ve been in trouble making up ground on cars with more pace than what GR had to overcome.

Team finished 5-6. Best possible outcome irrespective of running order.

Just my 2 cents.

[ringo]

Hard to believe some posters been here for years and can't read the race.

It's a go long and hope SC happens tactic. Nothing more nothing less.

Exactly. It’s the simplest of observations to make. But people are so hellbent on trying to find mistakes on Hamilton’s behalf that it’s starting to get comical.

They need evidence that Lewis is clueless and an Idiot, all the time.
He went from quarter of a second slower than George the last race.. and that theory didn't work out quite so well in this race. So another weakness must be fabricated.

[AA_2019]

We don't need a transcript to know whether Lewis was "lost about what to do" or not. He was in no position to be lost about anything to start with. He had already made his stop for hards. George clearly wanted to stay out and hope for a VSC or SC which is completely normal since he has nothing to lose and all to gain, so of course he stays out if the tyres hold up. Lewis had made his stop already, and was in no position to try anyting strategically at that point whatsoever. George simply lucked into an SC again, and that was that.

The only thing Lewis was debating with the team about was whether to change tyres or not during the SC, which would mean that he would be behind George with 100 % certainty. He chose not to because the team recommended him to stay out in the end to give it a go. It didn't work out, unsurprisingly.

But on fresh tyres Lewis would have overtaken George with DRS. Lewis is a better race day driver.

Give Lewis the tools to race and he will deliver.

Pit him for fresh tyres and he will overtake.

Lewis knew he would get overtaken by George on fresh tyres, he even said it on radio. The team interpreted it as Lewis wanting to stay out because he didn't want to lose position, but that is not what he meant, he just resigned himself to losing that position so the team should have pitted him as they knew he had enough of a gap to Alonso, but Lewis wouldn't know that.

[AR3-GP]

Any speed trap data for FP2?

Presumably the ‘dog of an engine’ is no longer looking so bad now they are starting to get better aero.

Qualifying Team Average Speed Trap (FIA):

RBR: 334.5kmh
MER: 326.0kmh
FEZ: 324.8kmh

Mix that with what looks to be a clear lack of downforce comparatively to RBR and Ferrari, the fact McLaren are the slowest on the grid here with Aston also bottom half and this trend looks very much the same since the start of the season... You start to run out of good arguments against the fact they must be a little down on power at the moment.

Where is the clear lack of downforce? Merc's Friday pace was genuine. In a piece I read today, Russell's fuel and PU-mode corrected race sims on Friday had him 0.2s off of LEC.

Aren't Mercedes still the fastest in slow corners (according to Lando Norris)? They would also be inconsistent with a "clear lack of downforce."

If they aren't lacking downforce (according to you), and they aren't lacking straightline speed (also according to you), then why on earth are they so slow

[AR3-GP]

There's a saying, Analysis paralysis. Maybe Merc need to just chuck some different parts on it and see what happens. They've been combing over the data for over 3 months now.

[Spoutnik]

Don't understand why Ferrari, or Mercedes are so conservative on thebudget cap, and wait to bring upgrade.. or Red Bull will ne be able to finish the year..?

[saviour stivala]

This year’s budget spend on this year’s car upgrades will impact on preparing next year chassis. This as next year’s chassis will be finalised and build this year.

[AA_2019]

Getting tired of Mercedes moaning. If the floor is the problem then just replace it. Does not make sense why they don't tackle
the problem head on but they just keep on analyzing data. Seems rather strange...

lol. Pretty sure that's the exact problem they're trying to tackle. And it's a bit more difficult than you make it seem.

Stop moaning and change the floor by:

- removing the kick points to reduce extremeness
- reshape with the tunnel like contours as Red Bull which ensures there is always some airflow even if the car bottoms
- add cut outs on the edge as per Red Bull
- add the Red Bull Skates

Or keeping believing in a silver bullet that will magically make the car quicker than ever other car on the grid.