It’s becoming more and more obvious that Lewis Hamilton is not comfortable in the car that he is driving. Aside from all the radio complaints, his position in the pecking order speaks volumes. But what is the main problem that Mercedes is facing that prevents them from giving the 7-time world champion a competitive car?

While many factors contributed to Lewis Hamilton’s downfall in Mercedes, the car is not the only problem. According to Toto Wolff’s recent report, the team principal has narrowed down the reason for the W15 not performing. What makes this case more curious is that it has nothing to do with what happens on the track.

Problems mount for Lewis Hamilton and Co. as a glitch in the simulator data comes to the fore

A recent report from Toto Wolff states that the main issue the team has been facing is with its simulators. According to Wolff, “We have a big problem. Our sensors and simulations say that in a certain speed range, we should have a certain amount of aerodynamic load but in reality, we don’t.” This begins to explain why Mercedes is going through such a tough time securing podiums.

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are currently fourth in the constructor’s championship behind Red Bull, Ferrari, and McLaren, respectively. This comes as a huge shock considering the team’s 8 years of domination. Ever since the new regulations in F1 which implemented a budget cut, Mercedes has stopped performing like they used to. And to make things worse, it’s Lewis Hamilton who has the worse end of the deal.

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While George Russell is managing to score good points in the W15, the 7-time world champion still needs to get comfortable. The W15’s main problem highlighted by Toto Wolff was the aerodynamics not recording correctly in the simulator. This leaves the team unable to identify the problem to make improvements to provide the drivers with a car worth battling the likes of Red Bull and Ferrari. However, judging from the recent performances of the two drivers, it is getting clear who is the scoring Mercedes driver now.

George Russell: Mercedes’ new star driver

Ever since Hamilton and Russell got into the W14, the drivers knew that it would be a tough season for them. While they barely managed to finish second, it was clear that a lot of work needed to be done to regain their dominance.

Now in 2024, it’s getting more and more evident that younger driver has the edge over the 39-year-old Briton. The dividing factor in the gap between Hamilton and Russell is confidence.  As reported by The Race in November 2023, George Russell stated, “Confidence is a huge thing and I think if you start on the front foot you can just build from there.” But things are not the best at Mercedes as Lewis Hamilton is yet to find his mojo after his dominant era in the 2010s.

That being said, do you think Lewis Hamilton will be able to drive like he used to in his glory days with Ferrari? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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