2024 Mercedes-AMG | Petronas F1 Team

[Matt2725]

Worth noting, George was told to back off in the final sector on his last outlap before this final run, as they didn't want to start the lap with Albon stuck with yellows waving.

So he lost a lot of tyre temp which compromised his S1. So there might have been a bit more.

Could be, but the problem then will be Russell falling backwards and Hamilton moving forwards (but with far too much work to do). Mercedes cannot optimize their results if Hamilton doesn't qualify further forwards.

I think Russell can get past Checo at the very least and fight for a podium place. Their straight line speed will be handy in the race at least.

[atanatizante]

Fast on the straight and absolutely nothing in the corners…not ideal.

Feels like the early part of the season again. In terms of times.

They're losing so much time in the corners, it seems like a tire temperature issue for both

Bono:“Nine tenths to Leclerc. Four and a half tenths sector one, nearly six tenths in the middle, purple in the final by a tenth and a half.”

Based on the Friday practice sessions, when both drivers were the only ones who did a race simulation on the H tyres, it seems that they are gearing towards a 1-stop race with a low DF setup choice, which is exactly the opposite strategy that other top teams went to this race ...

Having said that, RUS has a slightly lower top speed than HAM on all 3 sessions and was slower even in qualy, despite reaching a higher top speed on the speed traps records (that 347kph top speed was due to a nice tow). I don`t have proof yet, but I think he has a Gurney flap on his DRS flap, which in addition to a slightly higher AoA FW in order to get that car balance, gave him more front axle load hence was able to induce higher front tyre temps that went just into the sweet-spot working operation window and set faster S1 and S2 times.

In contrast to RUS, on Sky F1, the lady who was a strategist back in the day said that in Q3 the track temp dropped massively (some 5 degrees Celsius) which means that due to HAM`s slightly lower DF setup couldn`t get enough heat into the front tyres hence missed their optimal operation window ...

After the qualy HAM said that his car was wonderful (?) or something like on Friday but didn`t work in the qualy for whatever reason he didn't have yet ... I think that his car, at least if not both cars, is set up for a 1-stop race and will start the race either on the H tyre heading for a long first stint or just opting to start on the M-tyre, had the front runners are on a 2-stop race starting on the S-tyre, and therefore he`ll try to overcut the drivers ahead of him that were starting on the softs, knowing that this track favors this tactic ... so it`ll be interesting to see had RUS will also start tomorrow on the same tyre as HAM or opting for a 2-stop attacking race and start on the S-tyre as the drivers around him...

It`s also interesting to mention that for some reason the Silverstone upgrade/floor seems to work the best on the C3 Pirelli tyre so far and last but not least these remaining races until the end of the season it`ll be used as tests sessions as HAM said they need to understand the Spa upgrade which will set the direction they`ll go for the next car ...

[Luscion]

It's politics.

Its tough for me to really believe that after finishing P3 last year while his team mate languished in P8 that all of a sudden in 2024 Lewis doesnt know what makes an F1 car of any kind go fast, SPECIFICALLY on a saturday.

He can go fast in P1. He can go fast in P2. He can go fast in P3. He can go fast in the race. Just not in qualifying.

Not buying it.

All of a sudden Merc doesnt know how to warm hisntyres tonthe correct temps before he leaves the garage?

Not buying it.

And that he only knows how to win on weekends where rain affected sessions gives him an advantage (spa quali, silvestone rain end of first stint)?

Not buying it.

And its just a coincidenc e that if notbfor being unable to gonfast on saturdays people would be questioning George Russels position in the team after another low finish in the WDC?

Not buying it.

Being "managed" out of a team is nothing new.

Edit: He just said in an interview that his car was amazing yesterday, then today 'all of a suddden thw tyres dont work all day', with a smile on his face.

Its clear enough for me.

Or maybe he didn't warm his tyres up properly.
It's entirely plausible, and the most efficient and simple explanation without reaching into the conspiratorial realms of sabotage.

2025 Ferrari team thread is going to be an absolute riot yo

No youre right. Lewis Hamilton not knowing what makes an F1 car go fast or not knowing how to warm up tyres is probably the best explanation there is.

Its more likely that being able to warm up tyres and go fast on a saturday every year of his F1 career except the year he suddenly announced hes leaving the team was just a coincidence, every single one of those years and he just forgot how to do it in 2024.

Youd have to be a dummy to believe that a man who knew how to do all of that in 2023 (and every of the 16 years previous) would know how to do it in 2024.

You cant just call sabotage every time he doesn't do well. The idea of Merc doing that is silly for a multitude of reasons, also from Spain to Spa he never qualified lower than 5th. Could be a simple case of temps changing or a change in setup, but from the interview it sounds like he didnt change anything with the car.

[Matt2725]

Well it's a better explanation than the team is sabotaging him. Because that is an absolutely mad position to take.

Lewis looked great on Friday, when other teams when the track was very green and his teammate was having his own issues. He's never had the greatest form in Baku anyway to be fair.

Also with that session, the quali H2H is settled for Merc this season in favour of GR.

[Big Gun]

The fact that Hamilton couldnt get enough heat in the tires in Qualy, is normally a blessing for the race. It normally means that in the race you are gunna look after the tires a lot better, where as the other drivers have to worry about over heating them. I fully expect him to have better racepace than Russell and compete for a podium as race pace is important at Baku because of the long straight.

[Matt2725]

The fact that Hamilton couldnt get enough heat in the tires in Qualy, is normally a blessing for the race. It normally means that in the race you are gunna look after the tires a lot better, where as the other drivers have to worry about over heating them. I fully expect him to have better racepace than Russell and compete for a podium as race pace is important at Baku because of the long straight.

I don't expect him to get by George without Merc intervention or a first lap incident. You can't do anything in S1 or S2 for the most part and George has been faster in S3 when it counted.
GR should get by Checo early on, and LH needs to clear Max early if he's to have a chance to do anything.

[Vanja #66]

Last year Mercedes copied their low-load wing from Ferrari's 2022 sleek low-load, low-camber wing, anticipating they will still struggle with drag in 2023. In 2024 they no longer have a fundamental drag problem, but they chose not to change the low-load wing design.





In Spa they had to use a bigger beam wing to make up for less downforce and Hamilton was good on the race start to be in a position where he's attacking and not under attack with that extra drag. All other races with this wing were quite poor so far this year, it simply lacks downforce. I fear they will struggle with tyre wear tomorrow...

[Quantum]

No youre right. Lewis Hamilton not knowing what makes an F1 car go fast or not knowing how to warm up tyres is probably the best explanation there is.

Its more likely that being able to warm up tyres and go fast on a saturday every year of his F1 career except the year he suddenly announced hes leaving the team was just a coincidence, every single one of those years and he just forgot how to do it in 2024.

Youd have to be a dummy to believe that a man who knew how to do all of that in 2023 (and every of the 16 years previous) would know how to do it in 2024.

Anomalies didn't happen to both George and Lewis in 2023 and 2024?
Is it only conspiracy when it works against Lewis?

There are already threats of violence towards the team on Twitter in the last few hours. This is where conspiracy leads to.

[Big Gun]

The fact that Hamilton couldnt get enough heat in the tires in Qualy, is normally a blessing for the race. It normally means that in the race you are gunna look after the tires a lot better, where as the other drivers have to worry about over heating them. I fully expect him to have better racepace than Russell and compete for a podium as race pace is important at Baku because of the long straight.

I don't expect him to get by George without Merc intervention or a first lap incident. You can't do anything in S1 or S2 for the most part and George has been faster in S3 when it counted.
GR should get by Checo early on, and LH needs to clear Max early if he's to have a chance to do anything.

If Russells tires overheat and have more Deg than Hamiltons tires (which I predict) after 10 or so laps Hamilton will be able to stay close enough at the start of sector 3 that he will have DRS and a tow

[Matt2725]

The fact that Hamilton couldnt get enough heat in the tires in Qualy, is normally a blessing for the race. It normally means that in the race you are gunna look after the tires a lot better, where as the other drivers have to worry about over heating them. I fully expect him to have better racepace than Russell and compete for a podium as race pace is important at Baku because of the long straight.

I don't expect him to get by George without Merc intervention or a first lap incident. You can't do anything in S1 or S2 for the most part and George has been faster in S3 when it counted.
GR should get by Checo early on, and LH needs to clear Max early if he's to have a chance to do anything.

If Russells tires overheat and have more Deg than Hamiltons tires (which I predict) after 10 or so laps Hamilton will be able to stay close enough at the start of sector 3 that he will have DRS and a tow

I don't know where this Russell destroys his tyres narrative keeps coming from. Apart from Zandvoort where his strategy and setup was crap, his race pace has been largely on-par with or better than Hamilton's.

[Luscion]

Dont think much will come from this, Leclerc was summoned for the same thing and was given a warning

nvm, could be something. Leclerc did it in practice 3, Russell did it in Q1

[AR3-GP]

Dont think much will come from this, Leclerc was summoned for the same thing and was given a warning

nvm, could be something. Leclerc did it in practice 3, Russell did it in Q1

Verstappen got 5 place drop for it in Qatar 2021. Hamilton got 3 place drop for it in 2020 Austria. This is normally a grid drop when it happens in qualy.

[Matt2725]

Had a look at the onboard.

It's at the start of Russell's first soft flying lap after their medium runs.

GR is approaching T2 about 3-4 seconds behind Sainz who went straight on into the run-off. The yellow looks like it came out right as George came into the braking zone. His engineer advised him it was a single yellow meaning he could keep pushing at the green flag.

Could go either way.

Found this on Twitter https://x.com/russellius/status/1834980105673683090

[Dunlay]

These conspiracy theories are sickening and just strengthens the anticipation to see the end of this season ASAP. Can't wait for this to be over.

[chrisc90]

Had a look at the onboard.

It's at the start of Russell's first soft flying lap after their medium runs.

GR is approaching T2 about 3-4 seconds behind Sainz who went straight on into the run-off. The yellow looks like it came out right as George came into the braking zone. His engineer advised him it was a single yellow meaning he could keep pushing at the green flag.

Could go either way.

Found this on Twitter https://x.com/russellius/status/1834980105673683090

I think the incident is at turn 16. When Russell is opening his lap. It ties in with the 16:10 on the marshalling system too.