F1 News: Mercedes chief admits confusion over Lewis Hamilton issue

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Mercedes chief admits confusion over Hamilton issue

Is Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes engine going to be fit for use after dramatic Melbourne failure?

Shay Rogers

Wednesday 3 April 2024 22:00

Mercedes have delivered an important update on Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes engine after it suffered a severe failure during the Australian Grand Prix.

The Brit was forced to retire on lap 17 of the race after his car shutdown to protect engine components from a sudden drop in oil pressure.

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It may have saved lots of costly damage, as well as issues to other components within the car which could lead to grid penalties later on in the season.

The long-distance nature of the early part of the season means that it can take time to transport and properly assess anything which has been damaged in a race.

Lewis Hamilton sits tenth in the drivers' championship

Mercedes are a long way behind their competitors in 2024

How much damage did Lewis Hamilton's car sustain?

“We do not. The power units will return to the safe hands of the guys at Brixworth, who will be able to figure out what let go,” he said.

“All we know is the symptoms at the time, which was a rapid loss of oil pressure followed by a shutdown of the engine to protect it.

James Allison is the Technical Director at Mercedes

“When you know you’ve got catastrophic loss like that, the best thing you can do for the future is kill it there and then, and then you have not got like a load of molten metal," Allison continued.

“You have normally got a fairly clear evidence chain of what caused it and then that lets you work better for the future.

"So, we do not know yet, [but] Brixworth and HPP [Mercedes High Performance Powertrains] will do in short order.”

Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Australian Grand Prix