Lewis Hamilton was fighting against Max Verstappen for his record-breaking eighth championship only four months ago. But now, the Mercedes driver is struggling to even finish in the top ten. Further, things went worse for Hamilton when the Red Bull drive lapped him at the 2022 Imola race.
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The 37-year-old has only scored 28 points in the last four races. Further, Lewis Hamilton has been on the podium only once this season because the Red Bull duo retired in the Bahrain GP. The F1 fans and experts started speculating if Hamilton has lost his touch after the 2021 championship defeat.
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Further, there were rumors about the driver going through depression because of his poor performance. However, Toto Wolff reveals Hamilton might be shocked because of the car’s performance, but he’s not depressed.
Wolff reported, “I don’t see any mental weakness with Lewis, on the contrary. Clearly, when you’re fighting for a championship four months ago, and then suddenly you’re not at the front, that’s a different situation but not with a negative impact.”
Mercedes boss on George Russell’s excellent developing approach
The 24-year-old English driver joined the Brackley base this season, replacing Valtteri Bottas, who left for Alfa Romeo. Fans expected to see a tough fight between George Russell and his teammate Lewis Hamilton. However, the new Mercedes driver has outperformed the seven-time world champion teammate on most occasions.
The Mercedes duo has been complaining about the struggles with the 2022 challenger. The new W13 is made following the latest rules and regulations, but it seems the new designs are not favoring the Silver Arrows. However, the young Brit somehow manages to bring the best out of their problematic car compared to his veteran teammate.
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The 2022 Mercedes F1 driver lineup: Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. (Photo by Mark Thompson – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
Team Principal Toto Wolff believes George has spent his early F1 days in a back-sitting car, helping him now drive the struggling W13. Further, the 24-year-old has a very methodical approach to the car’s development, giving him an advantage over Hamilton.
Wolff reported, “George is coming from a car that is coming from the back of the grid. But the way he approaches developing the car is no different, it’s very methodological, whether he’s P1 or P11.”
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WATCH THIS STORY: Ranking Lewis Hamilton’s F1 Championship Titles From 2008 to 2020
The Mercedes duo is in Miami for the inaugural Miami GP. They have showcased some excellent pace during the Friday practice. There are hopes that the Silver Arrows might return to the front row in Miami. What do you expect from Mercedes in the Miami GP?
