Lewis Hamilton unhappy with Mercedes seat position as he details struggles with W14 F1 car
The seven-time world champion finished fifth in the season-opener in Bahrain but was easily beaten by teammate 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:George Russell across the Saudi A𝕴rabian Grand Prix weekend.
Hamilton admitted he “doesn’t ♔feel connected” to Mercedes’ latest challenger and claimed after the Jeddah race that his teammate’s superior performance was down to a lucky set-up choice.
But Hamilton has now detailed the exact issues he is facing in the W14, which are being exacer𝐆bated𓆉 by feeling uncomfortable with the positioning of the cockpit.
"I don't know if people know, but we sit closer to the front wheels than all the other drivers. Our cockpit is too close to the front,” Hamilton said ahead of the 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Australian Grand Prix.
"When you're driving, you feel like you're sitting on the front wheels, whi🌟ch is one of the worst feelings to feel when you're d🃏riving a car.
"If you were driving your car at home a﷽nd you pulled the wheels right underneath your legs, you would not be happy when you're approaching the roundabout.
"What that does is it really changes the attitude of the car and ho🍎w you perceive its movement. And it makes it harder to predict compared to when you're further back and sitting more centred.
🌺“It is just something I have really struggled with.”
Hamilton stressed the positioni⭕ng “🐭100%” needs to be changed in the future.
“I listened to the team and that was the direction that they said that w🃏e should go,” he added.
“Had I known the feeling that I would have 🍨in it, it wouldn’t have happened. And it has to chanﷺge for the future. 100%.”
The 38-year-old Briton also sa𒁏id the aero characteristics on this year’s Mercedes are “just too far forwards”
“We sti💧ll have generally a very s🌟trong front and not as good a rear as we would hope to have,” Hamilton explained.
“If you look at the Red Bulls, the places where they get on the power earlier and the speed🌸 they can take through the corners is just because they have a much stronger rear end.”
Mercedes recovery ‘could take a long time’
Mercedes have already begun redesꦗigning their car after accepting that continuing to pursue their unconventional🌺 sidepod concept was a mistake.
Hamilton, who is out of contract at the end of the year and yet to sign ꧒a new deal, warned “it could take a long 🐠time” before Mercedes can compete with Red Bull at the front of the grid.
"There is a part of me that is just hopefu𒈔l we find the trick and are straight on to the right track that is not far away from the others," Hamilton said.
"We have shown in the past that we can develop quickly and hope that is the case that as the potential of the car opens up, we will full steam ahead in that dir👍ection. I am grateful they are open to making a shift and not being stuck with what we have and I am aware it could take a long time.
Hamilton added: "If you look at the Red Bull, it is just going to continue t🅘o evolve most likely.
"Some cars do plateau in terms of performance. At some point it can't just keep going. But maybe🎃 it can.
"They have 🌺a great team around them and I am sure they will continue to add downforce.
"We just have to make sure when we do make the change hopef🔯ully the drop isn't too far.
“It is going to take us the rest of the year for sure to potenti🥀ally close that gap."
Lewis regularly attends Grands Prix for wuqian0821.com around the wꦓorld. Often reporting on the action from the ground, Lewis tells the stories of the people who matter in the sport.
