Home

Bizarre Mercedes F1 ‘Experiment’ Deals Heavy Blow to Lewis Hamilton’s Hungarian GP Hopes

Published 07/30/2022, 4:03 AM EDT

Can Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton make it five podiums in five races? The Mercedes paddock is heading into the Hungarian weekend, brimming with confidence after the French GP result. The Silver Arrows are now a shadow of their struggling self from the start of the season. However, the results of the first two practice sessions have painted a different picture for the team.

Hamilton is heading into the weekend as a record holder with eight wins on the Hungaroring. However, extending his tally to nine is going to be a mammoth task for the former world champion. A poor performance in the practice sessions has become somewhat of a trend for the Silver Arrows.

Article continues below this ad

The Mercedes men suffered an extremely poor FP2 and Hamilton’s radio exchange with Bono outlined that.

Hamilton asked, “How far off are we?” Bono: “So currently P8. A 1.9 to Leclerc in P1.” Hamilton: “1.9 to the same tire?” Bono: “Affirm.”

After the practice sessions, Mercedes’ chief engineer Andrew Shovlin pointed out their FP2 error. He said, “We came in sort of wanting to do some experiments to do with the car and I think the ones we have done in FP2 have taken us backwards.”

“The car was together and there was little things that I am pretty certain we will be undoing overnight because it didn’t look great.”

The gap to the Ferrari of Leclerc absolutely perplexed Hamilton. There’s an enormous distance between the frontrunners and Mercedes as a win stays a distant dream. Considering that, the seven time world champion did not shy away from expressing his frustration from the FP2 session.

Article continues below this ad

Lewis Hamilton expresses frustration over poor FP2 session

The second practice session was hugely frustrating for both Hamilton and Russell. Hamilton finished the session at P11, whereas Russell could only manage a P8. It was an extremely poor performance with the French GP result in retrospect.

Lewis Hamilton & Fernando Alonso Are the Last Men Standing as F1 World Mourns the End of Iconic Era Marked By Sebastian Vettel Exit

Article continues below this ad

Commenting on the poor state of the W13, Hamilton said, “The car’s a bit of a struggle. At the moment it’s a little bit loose and it’s not doing what we wanted to do.”The team is taking responsibility for the poor upgrades and the result from the FP3 will reveal Mercedes’ chances in the race.

Watch this story: Lewis Hamilton Finds Himself in an Unusual Situation With His Teammate for the First Time Since 2007

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Mahim Suhalka is an F1 Author at EssentiallySports. This Sports Management post-graduate is an ardent supporter of the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 team and their lead driver, Lewis Hamilton. The fact that Lewis dominated one of the most expensive sports in the world for all these years, despite his humble beginnings, has been a huge inspiration for Mahim and has made him a tenured fan of the competitive sport itself.

Edited by:

Reubyn Coutinho

Bizarre Mercedes F1 ‘Experiment’ Deals Heavy Blow to Lewis Hamilton’s Hungarian GP Hopes

Lewis Hamilton expresses frustration over poor FP2 session

Trending

Max Verstappen “On Ice” as Return to China Goes Badly for Christian Horner and Co

Daniel Ricciardo To Be Replaced by Liam Lawson After Miami, F1 Pundit Dishes Out Harsh Verdict After Australian’s “Amateur Mistake”

Adrian Newey Hits Out at Climate Activist Lewis Hamilton’s Fuel Protest, Desperate to See V10 Engines Again

Taylor Swift’s Tortured Poets Department Sends F1 Fans Into a Frenzy: “Its a Fernando Reference”

Who are Zhou Guanyu’s Parents? Everything We Know About The Chinese Driver’s Family