Hamilton: “It is a huge problem that has never been in a Formula 1”

Since 2019, Mercedes has always won the opening race of the season but in 2022 it is presumed difficult: Lewis Hamilton starts fifth and George Russell ninth. Leclerc took pole ahead of Verstappen, Sainz and Pérez, and Alonso started eighth in the Alpine. After one lap, Lewis and George fought back, but the pace of the race does not allow them to be optimistic. Red Bull and Ferrari are ahead, among other things because they have been able to solve before and better the problem of ‘porpoising’, that curious rebound that single-seaters suffer on the straights as a result of ground effect.

The English points out it as the main cause of the delay of the W13: “It is a huge problem that I have never had in an F1”. “A car is not made to jump like that. You gain charge, you lose charge, you gain charge, you lose charge. We have softened it, during the last weeks it was not comfortable for the back and neck but now it is improving. And I hope it continues to improve. There is a lack of downforce due to porpoising, other rivals have the car in a better situation and extract a lot more downforce than us, and achieve better times. But not only there, also in other places. Any year you ask for more charge, and then you use the mechanical balance.”

“We cannot compete with those who are ahead”

“We want to maximize the race, the goal is to score as many points as possible. Realistically, we can’t compete on pace with those in front, but we can fight with those behind. We can make a different strategy. If our pace is better than we expected, which won’t necessarily be the case, maybe we can hang in front for a while and give them trouble. But we won’t be faster,” says Hamilton of the Bahrain race (16:00 CET).

“On the one hand, I am positive. There has been a lot of work and talks, with work until the last minute, but no change of the ‘set-up’ fixes the problems we have nor will it fix them anytime soon. We expected to be fifth and I’m happy to be there. The guys in front are six or seven tenths ahead. I know there is potential and we must be precise in the coming weeks to close that disadvantage as soon as possible.” “It does not depend on the circuit. We had the problem in Barcelona, ​​which is not such a bumpy circuit. This track is, with longer straights. But people are working, they are incredibly smart and looking for solutions,” he explains.