Belgian Grand Prix winner Lewis Hamilton said the team made huge improvements to his car’s handling following their poor practice session on Friday.
Mercedes used the first day of practice at Spa-Francorchamps to evaluate a new floor for their W15. However after ending the day outside the top five they reverted to the original design from Saturday.Hamilton took third on the grid in a rain-affected qualifying session on Saturday. When dry weather returned on Sunday he was thrilled with his car’s handling and raced to finish second on the road, which became first when his team mate George Russell was disqualified.
The car felt “night and day different” in the grand prix, said Hamilton in the press conference after Sunday’s race.
“On Friday it was pretty disastrous for both of us and we were really struggling with balance. Then today the car came alive and I was really surprised to, firstly, get into the lead and then be pulling away from everyone.
“It felt fully under control and I’ve not had that for years and so that’s why it was also a bit of a strange way to finish it. but it is it’s great to go into the into the summer break with the one two. the team did really deserve it and did such an amazing job.”
Hamilton has won two of the last three races after ending a two-and-a-half year win-less run. He said both Mercedes drivers feel “more comfortable in the car.”
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“The balance through low to medium to high [speed corners] are all much more in line with what we had targeted.”
Speaking before he learned of his disqualification as his car was found underweight, Russell said the team changed “a lot of things” after their poor showing on Friday.
“We’ve got a lot of things we can play around with,” he said. “I think we just had it in the wrong window on Friday.”
He is confident the team will address the problems they experienced with the new floor in time for the next race.
“We obviously reversed on the floor because we just wanted to rule that out [as a cause]” he said. “But I’ve got no doubt in Zandvoort we’ll be returning to the new aero package and getting the car in a slightly different window mechanically.”
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2024 Belgian Grand Prix
- Belgian GP was “still a win” for Russell despite disqualification
- High plank wear also a factor in Russell’s disqualification, say Mercedes
- Russell is sixth F1 driver to be disqualified after winning a grand prix
- Unheard radio shows why Hamilton missed Russell’s (almost) race-winning strategy
- 2024 Belgian Grand Prix weekend F1 driver ratings
Bullfrog (@bullfrog)
29th July 2024, 8:23
That’s a shame… hope it doesn’t take years to achieve that with Ferrari!
ben
29th July 2024, 11:24
Being honest, I think Hamilton would have won that race in either car yesterday. The pace of the Ferrari and Mercedes looked very similar.
Doh
29th July 2024, 12:21
I wondered that. Although Lewis got by fairly quick, Charles stayed in touch. Which had me guessing if the Ferrari was slow to bring the tyres in..
Unless of course Lewis was trying to manage a bit in the first stint to potentially try a one stop, this keeping charlesbcloae behind. Lewis did say before his second stop that the tyres are good so I was wondering if he might try one stop
David BR (@david-br)
29th July 2024, 13:22
I think he’d have wanted to go longer on the tyres rather than covering Leclerc. Had he done so (or been ‘allowed’ to do so by the pit wall strategists) the question, I guess, is whether that would have evolved into a conversation with both Mercedes drivers about going for a one-stop. As Norris found, going longer on the tyres was worse if you were eventually going to stop anyway. So really Hamilton and the team had to decide cover or go for a one-stop very quickly (in one lap at most). But had Hamilton mentioned the possibility, the team would have had to discuss the option with both their drivers, surely? However it seemed to me that Russell was waiting for Hamilton to commit to a two-stop first before raising the topic of a one-stop. His race was with Lewis as he made clear afterwards. Lewis was annoyed as he was only told that belatedly.
Asd
29th July 2024, 9:35
I hate how all we ever learn from F1 interciews is that they changed or adjusted “things”. What the hell are those “things”?!?
JMDan
30th July 2024, 16:12
:-)
SteveP
30th July 2024, 18:50
It’s technical stuff, we wouldn’t understand. Nothing to stress our little heads over…
Gigantor (@kbdavies)
29th July 2024, 13:17
It is clear that if given a car that is thereabouts and not necessarily faster than everyone else, Lewis will make up the difference.
Lewis would have won that race if he was driving a Ferrari, Red Bull, or Maclaren.
He overtook two of them, and kept one behind to win the race.
David BR (@david-br)
29th July 2024, 13:23
@kbdavies True, though I think Verstappen would probably have won from pole.
Mohit Anand
29th July 2024, 13:50
not ferrari that car was 4th fastest yes in red bull or mclaren but then max would have won this without his penalty
Edvaldo
29th July 2024, 13:36
Since Canada, Hamilton’s worst result was 4th place.
The way things are going this may not even be his last win with Mercedes power, as Red Bull is dropping and Mclaren drops the ball too much.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
29th July 2024, 14:07
Good point.
Bullfrog (@bullfrog)
29th July 2024, 15:19
Or he’s going to Alpine.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
29th July 2024, 14:13
I think as Hamilton ages, he’s definitely becoming used to a certain type of car and less adaptable. I think that’s probably the main performance handicap that experience, relentless winning, and age bring. It’s not that he’s getting worse, it’s more the fact that he got used to certain things especially as he was winning and when those things all go away, it’s really hard to adjust.
Now that he’s winning again, naturally, the car feels under his control.
David BR (@david-br)
29th July 2024, 14:37
@freelittlebirds Hmm, kind of makes sense, more to do with how the ground effects work: Hamilton (like Verstappen) is all about balancing the car and then keeping the car on the edge round the higher speed corners with exceptional control and sensitivity to balance and track adhesion. The problem with the underfloor aero is that there’s little car feedback until you’ve lost that adherence, especially in the Mercedes, with the rear stepping out. Both drivers have complained that they can’t ‘trust’ the car for that reason. They’re both capable enough of correcting rapidly but it seems to have taken the edge off Hamilton’s driving, risking less. For whatever reason, both drivers now have more confidence in pushing the car and Hamilton can perhaps use that just a little bit more than GR.
Mayrton
30th July 2024, 7:39
I think you are right about everything but a bigger part played the sheer dominance of the Mercedes car 2014-2021. It is all just a tad more easy when you have 0,5-1,0 sec on the rest of the field.
Janith
30th July 2024, 12:41
You mean engine?
David BR (@david-br)
30th July 2024, 16:22
Correcting for 2021 (Red Bull were equal) and a couple of years when Ferrari were close to Mercedes, for whatever reason, sure, same applies to Red Bull and Max for 2022-2023. Just pointing out that Hamilton’s racing style needs a lot of physical-sensory feedback from the car, why he hated the design so much in 2022 and 2023 (including being sat further forward). I’ve always thought the ‘flat rake’ Mercedes was less suited to him. It’ll be interesting to see how dealing with Ferrari car designs (and engines) goes. Another factor working against Hamilton’s style is the constant car weight increases.
Mayrton
31st July 2024, 9:07
I agree on 2022-2023 and luckily it didn’t extent into 2024. Hamilton at Ferrari is going to be interesting and given his achievements I am sure he’ll be able to work around whatever challenges the car may bring. The weight thing is indeed horrible (for all drivers) as well as the size of the cars.
F1FanaticOG (@f1fanaticog)
29th July 2024, 17:17
2025 is most likely going to be the year of Convergence. I expect the top 4 teams to be very close and drivers like Lewis and Max prove every time that they make the difference when cars are so close.
These latest wins would have helped remove self-doubt and next year the new Vibrant Red Ferrari will give him that extra energy to fight for the championship one last time.
hobo (@hobo)
29th July 2024, 17:37
I think Hamilton will come to regret the move to Ferrari. He’ll get plenty of fans and new deals out of it, Ferrari being the brand that it is. But I think Merc’s resurgence in the next 15mos will gnaw at Hamilton. How the two teams perform in the 2026+ formula will be interesting to see. But unless Ferrari nails it, I think this will be Hamilton’s Alonso move.
To be fair, Hamilton made a deft move from McLaren to Merc, so maybe it’s a masterstroke. TBD.
Janith
30th July 2024, 12:40
Rubbish claim. Ferrari is always competitive.
SteveP
30th July 2024, 18:53
Well, so are pretty much all the cars on the grid, it just depends on what other car(s) you’re comparing them with
hobo (@hobo)
1st August 2024, 19:23
Cannot tell if sarcasm, going to assume non-sarcastic.
From 2019-2023 (i.e. last full 5 seasons) Ferrari had 8 wins. Seven of those came in 2019 and 2022, meaning 1 win in the other 3 seasons combined. Competitive?
Their WCC standings were, in order, 2nd – 6th – 3rd – 2nd – 3rd, which definitely looks competitive. But recalling the wins, the points deficits to first were -235, -442, -290, -205, -454. You can do the math when a win is 25 or 26 points.
Lewis has nothing to prove at this point, and can do whatever he wants. I was just saying that, based on the teams themselves, I don’t think this will be the smartest move unless Ferrari nail the next formula. I think 2025 will be stronger for Merc than Ferrari (car-wise) and then 2026+ is TBD.
Boomerang
29th July 2024, 23:42
The car is under control and everything else isn’t. I’ve never seen Lewis so confused like this year. As I pointed out before, although being true professionals, people at Mercedes team are just feeling betrayed and he’s about to realize it hard way. I never liked Ferrari, although I feel great respect for them, I still consider his move as a wrong one. Bono’s reaction to his decision was ‘is it an April Fool’s joke’. Although, it wasn’t a joke we’ll find out soon who the Fool is. As a person who looks forward to Lewis’ success I don’t like anything of what we’re witnessing now.
Mayrton
30th July 2024, 8:27
It will be good to see Hamilton at another team next year. Just to see a different setting of scenes. And who knows, maybe he will get lucky again. He once made a bold move that worked out brilliantly. So why not make such move again. He seems to have led a life of fortune, so why wouldn’t that continue?
I think there has never been a F1 driver in history who has been so overvalued as Hamilton. He will go into the history books as the luckiest driver to have ever participated in the sport. Just imagine for a second getting the material to win almost every race for 8 years in a row. Seriously, take a moment to grasp that concept. You getting material to win every race for 8(!) years straight. Imagine getting the material to break all these historical statistics. Imagine how the greats of the past must feel or would have felt about that. While they were driving in an era, they’d be lucky to finish at all.
During the unfolding of that era, he lost his ways however given all the worship received. Who can blame him. He started to believe it was him who broke all these records, it was him winning all these races. Never mind that the likes of Bottas could keep up (plus the Valtteri, it’s James’s aid needed) and that Rosberg also took one. He didn’t look at that anymore. The entitlement grew. And it came alive in 2021 after claiming for years and years he would welcome competition. But he didn’t. He was overconfident but it turned out it is not so easy in a more technologically level playing field.
He is still one of the greats I think, but it is just so hard to value given the extraordinary and unparalleled dominance Mercedes had. For me personally without the dominance streak I would say 2, maybe 3 WDC would have been realistic over the course of his career. That makes him one of the greats. I have seen him execute brilliant races. His actual tally is though hugely flattered by circumstances. And that just doesn’t sit well with me vs the talents and greats of the past. It could have sat well, if he would be more realistic about it and would be more of a gentleman and sport ambassador.
Instead, he has shown a vicious character that is default in defence mode. He has a huge chip on his shoulder for some reason, like the world is against him and he prevailed despite of it. While it is exactly the other way around. He has been gifted so much, you would expect a more balanced mature and grateful person. Not as someone on this forum so eloquently described: ‘None can combine vindictiveness, hypocrisy and being sanctimonious quite like Hamilton’. He is always belittling his opponents and playing mind games off track. That is always a sign of weakness. If you are truly great you do not need to refer to the others, let alone try to talk them down. It says more about you as a person than it does about the ones you’re after. And that is a pity and sheer loss for the sport. And it will also cause him going down in history with all his statistics but without the whiff of heroism in which we describe Fangio, Clark, Senna, Schumacher. He will not be mentioned as we have all witnessed how these statistics came about.
Dex
30th July 2024, 9:20
He’s as good as Schumacher and didn’t have to cheat.
PlosslF1 (@f1-ploss)
30th July 2024, 9:26
I was going to write a long winded reply in disagreement but then this simply popped into my head and it saved me the trouble-
“Two men looked out from prison bars,
One saw the mud, the other saw stars.”
Dale Carnegie
David West
30th July 2024, 10:40
“He will go into the history books as the luckiest driver to have ever participated in the sport.”
Wow, massive levels of saltiness right there.
Lost the 2007 and 2016 titles arguably due to mechanical issues, lost the 2021 title due to rules being interpreted in a unique way.
So lucky to lose three titles like that.
He is statistically the greatest of all time, everything else is opinion, I see you.
Mayrton
30th July 2024, 14:12
Of course everything else is opinion. That always goes both ways.
DeanR
31st July 2024, 8:32
Still going I see Mayrton. Not been on race fans for several years and here you are still spouting the same old drivel. Lewis really is driving you to distraction. Grow up son. X
Mayrton
31st July 2024, 8:55
Thanks for the solid counter argumentation.
David BR (@david-br)
30th July 2024, 16:35
A reminder that in 2007 Alonso was the new-ish star, 2-time champion against Schumacher.
Hamilton beat him in his rookie year and was one bad McLaren decision in China away from a truly astounding rookie year title. That alone makes Hamilton a great. The rest? If you actually watched 2008, again, difficult to see how one driver racing against two Ferraris and winning, with some astounding performances, was anything but the highest level of Formula 1. The move to Mercedes wasn’t ‘lucky’ – it was deemed a bad move by virtually all pundits, but centred around Lauda’s belief in Hamilton’s ability. Seriously, don’t ask me whose evaluation I’m going take there – yours or Lauda’s!
He then had to win those Mercedes titles against Rosberg (which I’d put as a similar level of rivalry as Verstappen-Ricciardo when Max arrived at Red Bull). Bottas was a disappointment and I agree that a faster team mate would have added a lot to the championships those years. Ferrari and Vettel’s bid kept imploding.
All the personal stuff is, well, your personal stuff. How you react to what you see (remotely) as Hamilton’s personality. The danger of that is that you’re almost inevitably just say more about yourself.
SteveP
30th July 2024, 19:13
I recall Lauda repeatedly saying that Mercedes had the best package.
Sometime down the line, when pressed about what he meant by the “package” he said it involved putting all the best things together and onto the track, and “of course the driver is part of the package” – or as the wife puts it “the nut behind the wheel”
Mayrton
31st July 2024, 7:01
Lauda also once stated that if Lewis kept on driving the way he did, people would get injured (in fact he used a much harsher word). So all in all these characters shift their opinions based on politics and momentum. Lauda also has been both critical and taking his hat off for Verstappen. But that was all not my point. I acknowledge Lewis’ talent and stated he is one of the greats. I just argue that 7 titles is disproportionate and a result of circumstances/luck. Personality wise I think he is toxic and unsportsmanlike, but then again I do not have to drink a beer with him, I just want him to see perform. What bothers me is that he mixes sports with outing of his insecurities by targeting others off track. To me (again personally) that is a huge flaw and diminishes his achievements.
SteveP
1st August 2024, 12:44
Luck to beat a 2 x WDC in his rookie year? *
Luck to be labelled as foolish to move to Mercedes?
Luck to beat the incumbent other driver of the team (like had all through their junior careers)?
Luck to beat Ferrari drivers, despite the Ferrari engine cheats in use?
Now there we most definitely differ, I see him as just another supremely focussed personality, with a wider set of interests outside the sport than most, if not all on the grid. Detractors try to pick fault with those other interests.**
For me, the most toxic character I see on the grid is Verstappen. His father was, and seemingly still is, a rather unlikeable character, so it may be that some of it is nurture rather than intrinsic nature.
Not that I see any saints sitting in any of the F1 seats.
*Without a rather dubious instruction to stay out on massively worn tyres at China 2007 that would have been a rookie WDC
** Human rights (various aspects of) where he works with other F1 personalities past and present, his fashion interests, and his music interests which were hidden for some while to avoid trading on the famous name.
Mayrton
3rd August 2024, 11:09
Well, just look at the WDC’s. 2014 & 2015 Rosberg came in second, 2016 was even taken by Rosberg. 2019 and 2020 Bottas came in second. That says a lot about the car’s dominance. So I would count 2008, 2017 & 2018 as his truly earned WDC’s, which is not bad at all and grants him a spot between the greats. That’s all I have ever been arguing.
As to Max, I rarely hear him talk about other drivers or trying to paint a bad picture of them, let alone play mind games (which as we all now only derive from feeling uncertain whether you can beat someone). And definitely never unsolicited. He is just here to race, tells it like it is and is 100% not interested in any of the other teams, media or whatever. Talking about focus. And arguing his dad is a bad character? Sure, maybe his nephew and his neighbour are as well. Who cares?
I see people confusing his focus and determination for arrogance. It is not arrogance, it’s completely ignoring all that is not relevant to achieve your goal and being super demanding towards your team. I wouldn’t want to see anything less from an athlete that competes at the highest level of his category.
SteveP
3rd August 2024, 11:33
There’s a phrase that was (might still be) common among the richer folks in the UK, when referring to time-consuming or menial tasks: “I have a man to do that for me”
I feel Max has at least three men “to do that for him”
Nope, I wasn’t arguing that he was, I think if you re-read, you will conclude it was a statement.
Still, in the final analysis, I don’t have to meet him, so it’s of no great importance
David BR (@david-br)
30th July 2024, 16:56
PS. I take this sudden diatribe against Hamilton as symptomatic of the fact he’s returned to winning GPs.
Mayrton
31st July 2024, 7:06
That’s nice that you state it, since it isn’t. It is something else. I was exchanging texts with friends after he won Silverstone stating I was glad to see him returning to his winning days and felt the 2,5 year (or so) had been enough now and it was time to move on. I was ready to cheer for him again and marvel at his skills, driving together with Max, good for the sport, good for us all. And then within a period of Lewis showed his true character again. Totally unsolicited on that form his (Max) side there will always be animosity. Saying he doesn’t behave like a champion etc. He just picked up where he left off because suddenly he felt he was the big rooster again. This is exactly why I dislike the off track Lewis in the past and it took him just days to show his true character again. Such a waste and pity for the sport and sportsmanship. I can’t wait to see him retire and stop spreading this toxicity amongst a great generation of drivers that seem to get along just fine without all these mind games.
Tunde
31st July 2024, 8:08
Oga, abeg rest… I use God dey beg you, rest make you no kpai for nothing on top another person matter.
(If it isn’t clear, ask ChatGPT for explanation)
David BR (@david-br)
31st July 2024, 12:21
I read that quite differently. Hamilton is fully aware of the hostility that came from the Red Bull camp in 2021, not just MV, and when he says that he thinks that continues with Verstappen, it’s more a suspicion of something more widespread (and toxic) that remains.
I’d just say you take a lot of personal ‘issue’ with someone who has very definitely had to face structural racism in his life and in his chosen career. If Hamilton doesn’t fit your ‘ideal type’ of how a person should be, maybe that’s because you’ll failing to recognize, understand and empathize with a vital part of his own history. We all need to try to perceive where other people are coming from.
Mayrton
1st August 2024, 8:03
Thank you for clarifying. I understand we see things from a different perspective. Your first sentence is something I could have written exactly like this but then swap Max for Lewis and RedBull for Mercedes. That is exactly my perception of 2021. It would be: “Max is fully aware of the hostility that came from the Mercedes camp in 2021, not just Lewis and Toto but also the willingly and inserted cooperating British media”. And I would argue that in your sentence it was RedBull (Horner) and not so much Max itself. And let’s not forget in season 2024 it has been solely Lewis bringing in Max in conversations and mentioning him unsolicited. He is the one seeking a repeat of the 2021 narrative.
As to your second part, I do not agree on that. From my perspective it comes across like he likes to play that card, but as an outsider I see nothing but fortune on his way and maybe even positive discrimination which brought him further in life than others would have gone. But then again, neither of us was present during this period. It is sure he has a premeditated chip on his shoulder about something and it translates to him being default a priori hostile. Which is a pity and on personal level (for him). I hope he will shred it off one day. I think Max Beaumont has made quite an accurate analysis on YT – search for ‘Lewis Hamilton’s Communication Skills, Max Beaumont’ since this site usually doesn’t allow links.
SteveP
2nd August 2024, 8:49
@Mayrton
I would agree with that sentence, approx 100% (give Horner a small point, maybe two).
However, anyone who labels Horner and entourage as toxic is likely to get a lot of hate mail – probably from the toxic crew – so keep your head down.
That said, Lewis was right, Max does need to change his behaviour. It’s currently coming from an ego fed that toxic soup that promotes the idea that he can do no wrong and everyone else needs to change.
That comment to reporters – of all nationalities – that they could, “**** off” if they didn’t like his swearing on the radio.
The world doesn’t agree with him, well the world has to change.
Really?
Mayrton
3rd August 2024, 11:16
There is little to chose between Horner, Marko and Toto and unfortunately Stella seems to want to join this dubious set of characters.
As to the toxicity, I fully understand as there is also a cultural element in it wherein the Dutch are always upfront direct and in your face, always WYSIWYG. But as I argued above. It is not arrogance nor entitlement, it’s completely ignoring all that is not relevant to achieve your goal and being super demanding towards your team. He once stated something I completely trust to be true which was something in the line of: If I wouldnt make any money in this sport and it wouldnt be broadcasted anywhere, I would still be doing this. I do not care about anything surrounding the sport, just the racing itself. Well, I am sure there are lots of opinions on this but I rather like it as he is a tiny element in a total sport and if you want to optimise that tiny element, it would need to have this attitude. Anything else is distraction and totally irrelevant for him to be dealing with. I wouldn’t want to see anything less from an athlete that competes at the highest level of his category.
SteveP
3rd August 2024, 11:44
@Mayrton
I can’t say that really aligns with the behaviour of my Dutch friends and acquaintances, but if your experience differs, then we can only conclude that national populations have a spectrum.
Direct honesty is part of a Yorkshire upbringing, brutally honest is some people’s view, but that goes with a motto of “if you can’t say anything god, say nowt” so if you got the rough end, you must have asked for it.
DMC
30th July 2024, 18:12
I think Lewis may be regretting leaving merc now. Ferrari continue to bemuse themselves. Merc are on the ascendancy. Merc may have struggled with the née regs but they are an extremley competent team, if Lewis became frustrated with them he will be tearing his hair out at Ferrari with there lack of consistency and terrible strategy calls.There is also a big engine change coming and rumour has it Merc have nailed it again.
hobo (@hobo)
2nd August 2024, 0:07
It could be an Alonso move (i.e. move to team at worst time). We’ll see.