Toto Wolff does not rule out a Hamilton withdrawal in Montreal
Appearing heavily affected by back pain during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton may not be present in Montreal. This is, in any case, a possibility that Toto Wolff, the boss of Mercedes, does not exclude.
Fourth in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and elected driver of the day, Lewis Hamilton had a very difficult Sunday in Baku. The British driver complained of severe back pain due to the jolts caused by the bumpy track.
The one who had declared “no longer being able to handle these rebounds”, arrived very worn out and had great difficulty getting out of his car after the race. Toto Wolff, the head of Mercedes, expressed concern about his driver’s health and hopes to find solutions quickly.
« He is really in a bad state. We just need to find a solution. At this stage, I think he might be the most affected of all the pilots. But almost everyone, according to what I understood from the pilots, has said that something needs to happen. » explains Wolff.
Lewis Hamilton will have little time to recover as Formula 1 resumes this weekend in Montreal. The Canadian track is a circuit with long straight lines that are expected to once again cause bounces on the W13 and many other cars.
Interviewed after the race about the potential absence of Lewis Hamilton next Sunday in Canada, Toto Wolff didn’t hide that it was a highly likely option depending on the health condition of the seven-time world champion.
« Yes, definitely. I haven’t seen him and I haven’t spoken to him afterwards, but you can see that it’s no longer just muscular. I mean, it’s related to the spine and can have consequences. » warns the Austrian.
While Lewis Hamilton seems definitively excluded from the title fight, Mercedes could more easily choose to replace him with one of their two reserve drivers. Stoffel Vandoorne, who raced for McLaren in Formula One in 2017-2018 and is currently leading the Formula E championship, could therefore make his return to the premier category.
Mercedes could also consider Nyck de Vries, who was the Formula 2 champion in 2019 and the Formula E champion last year, and who participated in the free practice sessions in Barcelona with Williams. A decision will be made quickly depending on Lewis Hamilton’s health status in the coming days.
