Former Mercedes F1 chief delivers Lewis Hamilton blow after damning verdict

Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff at the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix — Photo: © IMAGO

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Former Mercedes F1 chief delivers Hamilton blow after damning verdict

The Silver Arrows have started another season on the back foot

GPFans Staff

Friday 10 May 2024 20:57 Updated: 16:58

A former executive director at Mercedes F1 has warned that the team could get worse after a difficult start to the 2024 season, in what will come as wretched news to star driver Lewis Hamilton.

The Silver Arrows have endured a difficult few races this campaign, with George Russell's P5 at the opening race in Bahrain their best result thus far.

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Russell sits seventh in the drivers' standings and Hamilton ninth; Mercedes themselves languish in fourth place.

After years of domination, the Brackley team have struggled to compete in the 'ground effect' era after winning the constructors' title in 2021, with just one win since then.

Lewis Hamilton's final season at Mercedes has been difficult

George Russell's Bahrain P5 finish is Mercedes' 2024 best

Former chief sends alarming warning

Mercedes have struggled to make significant ground in the development race since falling behind.

Now, Paddy Lowe, who served as technical executive director during several championship winning seasons from 2013-2017, has said that there are no guarantees that the team will improve.

“Mercedes have made some wrong turns aerodynamically," he told Motorsport.com.

"The tools that we use are incredibly sophisticated, wind tunnels and CFD and so on but nevertheless highly flawed and all teams will admit this.

Team principal Toto Wolff is looking to improve performance

"Therefore, there is always risk you go down an avenue that doesn't work in real life and then you have to recover, and you can see that has been the case with Mercedes.

"That is very difficult to recover simply over a matter of time. You may or may not get there.

"It may get worse. This is the nature of the sport and why it is so fascinating to watch as champions come and go.

"The 2026 regulations will be a disturbance that Mercedes are looking forward to see if they can disturb the status quo," he added.

Lewis Hamilton George Russell Bahrain Grand Prix silver arrows Mercedes F1