They were down but never out, and now Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes are on a consistent upward trajectory. The porpoising was the focal point of Mercedes’ start of the current season. However, it’s a thing of the past now as the team back in Brackley is making consistent progress.
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The progression is sometimes sideways and even backward during the race weekend, but the experiments are finally paying off. Mercedes leaves room for experiments on Friday and gets back to serious business from Saturday onwards. The case at the Hungarian GP was similar as Alpine, Aston Martin, and McLaren all were faster than the W13 in FP2.
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However, on Saturday, Mercedes made upgrades that gave Russell and the team the first pole of the season. Chief engineer Andrew Shovlin even admitted, “At least we learned what not to do,” after the disastrous Friday session. (Translated by Google)
Formula One F1 – Hungarian Grand Prix – Hungaroring, Budapest, Hungary – July 30, 2022 Mercedes’ George Russell acknowledges fans after qualifying in pole position REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo
Although the race and qualifying result has filled the Mercedes paddock with confidence. The last five race results of Hamilton have also helped and there’s a growing feeling the first win will come after the summer break.
“We still have a few things up our sleeve, nothing spectacular, but things that will take us further. We’re no longer going in circles, but are now moving forward continuously,” Shovlin confessed.
This admission, combined with the fact that Hamilton himself has declared to be more “aggressive” this year, will be a ray of hope for the Mercedes faithful.
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With two second-place finishes in the last two races, it’s only a matter of time before Hamilton acquires the top step of the podium. Mercedes’ first race win this season will be a real possibility after the summer break gets over and racing resumes in Spa.
Lewis Hamilton getting closer to a win with a helping hand from outside
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The checks on the underbody and planks are going to be more seriously looked at after the resumption. This might very well become an issue for Red Bull and Ferrari.
Formula One F1 – Hungarian Grand Prix – Hungaroring, Budapest, Hungary – July 31, 2022 Red Bull’s Max Verstappen celebrates on the podium with a trophy after winning the race with second placed Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo
These checks will ensure teams will have to drive higher than they have been throughout the season. A higher chassis results in loss of speed, the only area the Brackley-based team is lacking in currently. These checks can bridge the gap for Mercedes and make them more competitive.
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This lack of pace was the only thing holding Mercedes back. Now, with the gap almost filled, Sir Lewis might soon get his first win, and perhaps make a habit of it throughout the rest of the season.
