Mercedes victory hopes pinned on "crazy race" fortune
Mercedes victory hopes pinned on "crazy race" fortune
Former F1 champion Damon Hill expects a "crazy" race to offer Mercedes a chance to break its duck before the end of the season.
The Silver Arrows has made it to September without a victory for the first time since 2011, the last year when it failed to take the chequered flag all campaign.
George Russell has claimed the only pole position for the team this season, with hope of victory only coming at the same round in Hungary and again in the Dutch Grand Prix where the W13's issues were minimised due to the circuit layouts.
Suggesting Mercedes' time could come with a bizarre, high-drama race in the final six events of the year, Hill told the F1 Nation podcast: "There is a possibility [of a win].
"Something will happen. We always get a crazy race, somewhere between now and the end of the year there will be a crazy race and Mercedes could well pick up that win.
"That would scupper Max's chance of winning every single race to the end of the season.
"There is going to be rain, one of them is going to be wet, we know Suzuka [Japanese GP] is going to be wet."
Ferrari under 'weight of Italy'
Mercedes has earmarked Ferrari's second place in the constructors' standings as a target for the remainder of the season.
The Scuderia holds a 35-point advantage over the Brackley-based team but Hill believes the pressure is all on the Scuderia whose championship challenge this season has faded dramatically.
"They [Ferrari] have got the weight of the entire nation." remarked the 1996 title-winner.
"I saw a banner saying Ferrari and Italy are basically the same thing.
"The fans, when you go to Monza and you see the Ferrari fans turn up, Italy and Ferrari, it means the same thing.
"That is the level of importance Ferrari is to Italy. It is a defining characteristic of the country. That is a pressure that doesn't apply to any other team."
Related
Change your timezone:
Latest News
Hamilton dealt China blow after major FIA decision as Ricciardo given huge Horner warning - GPFans F1 Recap
- 2 hours ago
F1 team unveil star-studded lineup in China
- 2 hours ago
F1 Qualifying Today: Chinese Grand Prix 2024 start times, schedule and TV
- 3 hours ago
Horner delivers threat to Ricciardo over Red Bull pressure
- Yesterday 21:57
F1 Sprint Race Today: Chinese Grand Prix 2024 start times, schedule and TV
- Yesterday 21:27
Wolff left FUMING with Mercedes despite amazing Hamilton lap
- Yesterday 20:57
Related news
Wolff left FUMING with Mercedes despite amazing Hamilton lap
Wolff 'p*****' by Verstappen error as star makes Mercedes debut
Hamilton to open Wolff talks at Mercedes amid Ferrari F1 move uncertainty
Mercedes announce MAJOR £5.9 million loss in profits
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