2022 Mercedes-AMG | Petronas F1 Team

[AR3-GP]

I agree - the radio calls we heard from Russell about strategy etc have been much better over the season as a whole. Whether that's just because of what we are shown through FOM is another question.

My impression is that Russell is pro-active because he doesn't have a fear and is not embarrassed about being wrong. He views being wrong as just part of the territory and just all in a days work. You win some, you lose some but at least we had good intentions.

Hamilton on the other hand as I've perceived him over the years has a great fear of being wrong that limits him strategically. He is never decisive or taking ownership of strategy in times where it would benefit him because he's afraid of being wrong. I noticed he likes to tow both lines of suggesting the alternative, but not demanding it. Then if it turns out that the team was wrong, he'll let everyone know after the race that he thought otherwise and the team was wrong because that position is more comfortable for him. You almost never hear the opposite situation where Hamilton decided a strategy and it was wrong because he doesn't put himself in that scenario. He worries too much about how he is viewed. The image he sees for himself is of a driver who can do no wrong so he avoids taking these chances, like Russell, in order to protect that image. Hamilton should never worry about being wrong. Good intentions matters more. You tried, it went wrong. There is no shame in that, and it doesn't make you any less of a champion. Being a 7x WDC doesn't mean you are not allowed to be seen making mistakes. He must take this pressure off himself.

We all saw Russell's decisive calls for better or worse in Canada, Zandvoort, and Mexico. He has no fear and it not embarassed about being wrong. He's more concerned with doing his best to make a decision, and if it goes wrong, it's like water off a duck's back.

[harty71]

I agree - the radio calls we heard from Russell about strategy etc have been much better over the season as a whole. Whether that's just because of what we are shown through FOM is another question.

What's surprised me most is his tyre management relative to Hamilton who has become a master in that category, well, not so much this year.

I think him being partnered with Bottas for the last several years has made him look more adept in tyre management than he really is, I mean, can you remember just one race at the top of your head where Bottas had superior tyre management?

As for strategy, Russell showed his racing intelligence many times this year, if calls went right it's because he pressed for them, this has an even bigger impact when you're battling in the pack.

[aMessageToCharlie]

I find it hard to believe that Merc pushed all the development and testing onto one driver. Surely Russell had his part in improving the car as well?

Anyways, I hope Mercedes will continue to be competitive next year and I'm sure with Russell being settled in with the team now and the confidence he gained this season in beating LH in his first year plus taking the only win for the team, we'll see some intra team action in 2023.

[harty71]

I agree - the radio calls we heard from Russell about strategy etc have been much better over the season as a whole. Whether that's just because of what we are shown through FOM is another question.

My impression is that Russell is pro-active because he doesn't have a fear and is not embarrassed about being wrong. He views being wrong as just part of the territory and just all in a days work. You win some, you lose some but at least we had good intentions.

Hamilton on the other hand as I've perceived him over the years has a great fear of being wrong that limits him strategically. He is never decisive or taking ownership of strategy in times where it would benefit him because he's afraid of being wrong. I noticed he likes to tow both lines of suggesting the alternative, but not demanding it. Then if it turns out that the team was wrong, he'll let everyone know after the race that he thought otherwise and the team was wrong because that position is more comfortable for him. He'd rather follow the team blindly because if they are wrong, he can just blame them after the race. You almost never hear the opposite situation where Hamilton decided a strategy and it was wrong because he doesn't put himself in that scenario. He worries too much about how is viewed. The image he sees for himself is of a driver who can do no wrong, so he avoids taking these chances like Russell, in order to protect that image.

We all saw Russell's decisive calls for better or worse in Canada, Zandvoort, and Mexico. He has no fear and it not embarassed about being wrong. He's more concerned with doing his best to make a decision, and if it goes wrong, it's like water off a duck's back.

Spot on, and I guess that's why Jenson Button called Alonso a better all-round driver, it's not just about pure speed, it's about the complete package and that includes race generalship/strategy.

I have been frustrated over the years at Hamilton's indecisiveness, he doesn't trust the team yet he won't make decisions himself, Hungary is the most obvious example, I mean, how on earth didn't he realize the track was slick territory, beats me.

[chrisc90]

I wonder what would happen if the team always listened to his calls for the tyres are 'still ok' 'dont stop me' messages.

[dans79]

I find it hard to believe that Merc pushed all the development and testing onto one driver. Surely Russell had his part in improving the car as well?

It's not uncommon in any technical or semi technical field to put a substantially larger responsibility, on an employee with more tenure and tribal knowledge.

Lewis just knows more about how and why the team works the way it does, and the reverse is true as well.

[harty71]

I find it hard to believe that Merc pushed all the development and testing onto one driver. Surely Russell had his part in improving the car as well?

It's not uncommon in any technical or semi technical field to put a substantially larger responsibility, on an employee with more tenure and tribal knowledge.

Lewis just knows more about how and why the team works the way it does, and the reverse is true as well.

But you're missing out on a big and important point, Russell may be more technically minded and thus would be better at leading that particular task.

The facts are both drivers, like all drivers will try different things in practice sessions.

Read up on Toto's latest statement about Hamilton losing to Russell, does it hint that Hamilton was the only one testing things, he just makes out that Russell's team had a better handle on things when the car was struggling.

[dans79]

But you're missing out on a big and important point, Russell may be more technically minded and thus would be better at leading that particular task.

I think you missed my point, Hamilton can relate how something feels positively or negatively to the team in comparison to a shared past experience. For example, when we change X it makes the car react a lot like changing Y did at some point in the past. It doesn't matter how technically minded you are, you can't do that, because you don't have the past tribal knowledge.

[chrisc90]

Is that really the same in a new era of aero regulations though? Its a whole new philosophy of cars this year with the ground effect

[dans79]

Is that really the same in a new era of aero regulations though? Its a whole new philosophy of cars this year with the ground effect

yea, because teams generally propagate their various philosophies across rule changes. For example Merc running low and stiff like they have for almost the entire hybrid era. Being better on harder compounds is another good example.

and here are some relevant quotes from george.
https://www.planetf1.com/news/george-ru ... -hamilton/

“Firstly, I feel so fortunate being team-mates with Lewis because it has given me such an opportunity to see his strengths and where I can learn from him and he is definitely very strong in certain areas,” said Russell.

“He is always very strong in low-speed corners and under braking, he has always been very strong and it has been interesting to see his approach to certain issues and how he goes about it.

“There is no doubt that I have probably widened that envelope of my driving skills by being his team-mate.

edit
https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202211/ ... 29b3a.html

"Having Lewis Hamilton as a teammate is something exceptional too. He is on it every day, he works so hard and he never misses anything. And he has been so great to work with — I have learned so much."

[Big Tea]

I like Russell, think there is no doubt he is a Champion in waiting, but when we compare him to Hamilton we need to remember for the last few years Hamilton has done what he needed to do to win championships. It may not have been the smartest ever call etc, but he has not been i a position where he needs to do that until last year where as Russell had been looking for every wrinkle not to end up as last car except Latiffi.

Different mindsets for different requirements, lets see what happens next year when they are in 'the same boat'

[harty71]

Is that really the same in a new era of aero regulations though? Its a whole new philosophy of cars this year with the ground effect

Good point, it can't be emphasized enough that both drivers would have been trying new things to get the car back on track.

They both started on a clean slate, Russell and his team got a better handle on the car when it was struggling.

I have a theory on why Hamilton struggled so much relative to Russell.

Hamilton makes up most of his time on the brakes, without that he his other qualities don't really stand out compared to other drivers on the grid. Russell is super smooth and precise, I imagine he makes up all his time with smooth inputs and good exit speed.

One of and if not the biggest problem the Merc had was the bottoming out and porpoising, this phenomenon would be particularly upsetting in the braking zones, Hamilton just didn't have the confidence or the ability to brake like he usually does and that's what hurt him more relative to Russell.

[chrisc90]

I do remember it being mentioned at one point that these cars need to be driven a lot smoother to make the most of the ground effect.

I wonder if some drivers are struggling a little more to adapt.

https://the-race.com/formula-1/what-dri ... 2-f1-cars/

[harty71]

I do remember it being mentioned at one point that these cars need to be driven a lot smoother to make the most of the ground effect.

I wonder if some drivers are struggling a little more to adapt.

https://the-race.com/formula-1/what-dri ... 2-f1-cars/

When the car is bottoming out or porpoising under braking it's going to hurt drivers more who's speciality is their feel & touch on the brakes, just a theory of mine, could be wrong.

[RonMexico]

I think Hamilton has been especially conservative in relation to tyres for the last decade or so. He tends to want to go long on the harder compounds or in wet races he will stay on what he has until someone else acts as the guinea pig. Races like Brazil 2016 and Hungary 2021 really highlight the wet race side of things. There are many, many examples for the dry ones