Mercedes downplay Hamilton "spicy" engine advantage
Mercedes downplay Hamilton "spicy" engine advantage
Mercedes director of trackside engineering Andrew Shovlin has insisted a bigger deal is being made out of Lewis Hamilton's "spicy" engine ahead of his F1 title showdown with Max Verstappen.
Hamilton is gunning for a record-breaking eighth championship to take him one further than Michael Schumacher's haul.
The Briton enters the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend level on points with his rival and although the Red Bull driver holds a slight advantage with more race victories across the campaign, Hamilton has won the last three races in succession.
Two of those have been with his fresh power unit that was introduced in Brazil and asked by Sky Sports F1 how special the engine really was in comparison to older units, Shovlin conceded: "It is not as big a deal as it is perhaps made out to be.
"Red Bull were inferring it is a huge difference, I think Toto did the same at one point.
"It is a useful step in the right direction but whether we have it in or not at the last race, it is not going to cover the gap we were seeing to Max on a single lap but it is a step in the right direction."
On if a new unit would be introduced ahead of the final race, Shovlin added: "Not on the plan. If we do that, something has gone wrong.
"It wouldn't feel like a good idea so that would only be if we suffer a big problem and even that wouldn't be plan A, if we did lose an engine."
Abu Dhabi changes "will drive up degradation"
The Yas Marina Circuit has undergone a major reprofiling ahead of the weekend with two new banked corners replacing off-camber chicanes, whilst the final sector has seen corner-radii lengthened and softened.
Commenting on the effect of the changes, Shovlin said: "I think in terms of the racing, they are going to be really good because turn five is a big improvement on the old sequence, I think you will be able to follow a lot closer.
"I think it will help on the overtaking side and it will drive up the degradation as well, there is a bit more energy in those so it is definitely good for circuit changes, whether it suits us, we don't know."
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
F1 wonderkid in Mercedes TEST amid driver replacement reports
- 5 minutes ago
Former Perez F1 boss reveals who should replace him
- 1 hour ago
Sainz hints at sensational move to rival series
- 2 hours ago
McLaren star DROPPED following serious injury
- 3 hours ago
F1 legend confident about Newey to Ferrari
- Today 18:58
F1 rivals' UPGRADES provide Red Bull title charge doubt
- Today 17:57
Related news
F1 track to test stunning new driver format
Verstappen caught red-handed in failed Red Bull sabotage
Verstappen's F1 break includes one major omission
Marko mourns death of key Red Bull figure after championship win
F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media
Innovatieweg 20C7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860