The hybrid engine regulations marked the era of Mercedes’ dominance in the world of Formula 1. However, the latest regulations involving generating more downforce from the bottom of the car marked the end of that era. Lewis Hamilton expresses his frustration with Mercedes not being able to adapt.

It has almost been a decade since Mercedes has been ruling Formula 1. The hybrid engine era marked the end of Red Bull’s dominance and the start of Mercedes’. However, the latest regulations have left them wanting, struggling with porpoising issues. While the porpoising has reduced, they still struggle for pace.

Lewis Hamilton and George Russell on Mercedes’ struggles

With FIA introducing an array of new regulations and reducing the wind tunnel time for top teams to make the sport a more level playing field, things were bound to get spicier. But Mercedes would not have expected to fall so down the pecking order that they cannot even challenge for the title anymore.

Lewis Hamilton voiced his disappointment at being unable to do anything about the current car. Talking with The New Yorker, he said, “We’ve not gone from being an eight-time-winning world-championship team to not being able to build cars.” He continued, “We just . . . it’s wrong this year.”

“We’ve tried and tried and failed. And tried and tried and failed.”

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The porpoising got so bad at one point that Lewis Hamilton started having back issues driving the car. However, when the car first came out for testing, it looked the leanest. George Russell, looking back at the time, said “People were looking at that thinking, Wow. Mercedes are going to blow the field away.” George continued, “Within reason, we thought that as well.”

2021 Abu Dhabi: the beginning of Mercedes’ tumble

Mercedes may have won the 2021 constructors’ championship, but Lewis Hamilton lost out on the drivers’ championship in a controversial fashion. To this day, the loss in Abu Dhabi haunts Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, but he feels he has learned to live with it.

Toto said that he does not have sleepless nights anymore. However, that bothers him. “It frightens me that I’m not sleepless. Has my ambition gone? No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Not at all.”

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Mercedes have won 8 constructors’ championship titles under Toto Wolff. With him at the helm, it is only a matter of time before Mercedes will bounce back. Who knows, it could be as quick as next season.