Hamilton discovers benefit of 'so much Mercedes failure'

Ian Parkes
Friday 23 December 2022 05:30

Lewis Hamilton has revealed to discovering numerous positives from a year in which there was "so much failure" at Mercedes.

After eight years of dominating F1, Mercedes was effectively reduced to the role of a bit-part player early in the season as it suffered at the hands of new aerodynamic regulations and found itself languishing behind Ferrari and Red Bull.

The team managed to make inroads against the damaging effects of porpoising and bouncing encountered by the W13 that at least finished the season strongly courtesy of its sole win in São Paulo with George Russell at the wheel.

For seven-time champion Hamilton, often reduced to playing guinea pig in practice sessions as the team tried different fixes, he ended the season without a victory from a campaign for the first time in his F1 career.

In a Mercedes review, assessing the progress the team made over the year, the 37-year-old said: "It's been impressive, for sure.

"I always knew that we could do it. I never doubted that we would get there in the end, but there was lots of trial and error, and so much failure this year.

"There were times we brought upgrades and they didn't work, and times we tried different things and it didn't work.

"I tried so many things and failed so many times but through that, you learn and grow.

"That's what it's been about this year. It's been about failure, breaking down egos, strengthening our relationships, and strengthening our communications.

"From that perspective, it's been really empowering."