Hamilton hopes that Mercedes will be better in Baku
After a difficult Monaco Grand Prix, finishing eighth in the race, Lewis Hamilton hopes that the streets of Baku will be conducive to a better performance from the W13.
For the Spanish Grand Prix, Mercedes, like many other teams, brought numerous upgrades to their car. The W13 seemed much more comfortable on the Catalunya track, and many thought that the Silver Arrows were making their comeback to the front positions.
But Monaco has put a damper on this idea. The two Mercedes finished fifth and eighth, with George Russell once again ahead of Lewis Hamilton. Beyond the result, the porpoising, which had disappeared in Spain, was back on the W13. A return of the rebounds that can be explained by the difference in surface between the Catalan circuit and the streets of Monaco.
This weekend, it’s another urban circuit that awaits the drivers, in the streets of Baku. Lewis Hamilton hopes that his car will perform better on a slightly less bumpy track than Monaco. « We are obviously stronger on less bumpy tracks. Barcelona was much better for us, for example. […] There is still a lot of work to do. I hope it won’t be as bumpy as Monaco, but we’ll find out once we’re out on the track today. It should be better. I hope so. »
Hamilton indicates that the changes made in Barcelona are working, but not everywhere. The new direction we have taken in Barcelona has given us a more positive orientation so far, I would say. But it doesn’t work everywhere. Can I say it’s the most exciting journey? No. But it’s an experience and it brings the team together, it forces us all to sharpen our tools.
After the first practice session, Hamilton’s hopes quickly went up in smoke. The W13, like many other cars, has a pronounced porpoising. It will be necessary to monitor its evolution throughout the weekend to see if Mercedes finds a solution.
