Lewis Hamilton given big Mercedes boost with crucial W15 change

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Hamilton given big Mercedes boost with crucial W15 change

The Brit will be happy with these changes to the new car

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Saturday 6 January 2024 17:57 Updated: 22:00

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New Mercedes technical director James Allison has ripped up his predecessor's concepts, providing the Brackley-based team with a car more suited to Lewis Hamilton's requests.

The seven-time world champion had asked for the cockpit position to be further back on the new W15 and, according to Motorsport.com Italia, that wish has been granted, while the new car will have no aerodynamic design link with the W14 from 2023.

Team principal Toto Wolff had previously said that the 2024 challenger would be 'completely different' to the 2023 car, after suffering yet another season with a car incapable of challenging for regular race victories.

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Now, those initial claims appear to be true, with the car's gearbox also reportedly set to be smaller and lighter, and the rear bodywork more compact.

Mercedes' W14 miffed much of the team with its inconsistent performance levels in 2023

Lewis Hamilton has not won a race since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

George Russell was the last Mercedes driver to win a Grand Prix, at the Brazilian GP in 2022

Mercedes looking for race wins

While we have no official launch date for Mercedes' 2024 car just yet, the team know how crucial it is to start off the year on the right foot, with pre-season testing just over a month away.

Having managed to tie both Hamilton and George Russell down to new contracts that will keep them at the team until at least the end of 2025, Mercedes need to prove that they can provide the pair with a car capable of challenging for world championships.

Hamilton's requests for a new cockpit position appear to have been granted, and the Brit will be excited to drive the new car having been ecstatic to get rid of the W14 at the end of last season.