The English “The Sun” spoke of a “horror show”, Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff put it simply: “We are definitely not fast enough.” For his superstar Lewis Hamilton, the air is getting thinner this Formula 1 season. After 13th place in Imola, where he was even overtaken by his former arch-rival Max Verstappen with the Red Bull, the Briton has already written off the title fight this year.
“I’m definitely out of the World Cup,” said Hamilton at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, mood and voice heavily subdued. Certainly? In any case, Wolff does not want to give up the thought of the World Cup. “What I love about the sport is that it doesn’t always follow math.” And Hamilton’s stable rival George Russell, who at least made it to fourth place in the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, is convinced: “Lewis will come back incredibly strong. I have no doubts about that.”
Marko teases the British
But Hamilton definitely has to bake smaller rolls this year. He actually wanted to become the sole record world champion in Formula 1 with his eighth triumph. He wanted to add many more to his 103 wins this year. But that’s all a long way off now. “Maybe he should have stopped last year,” advised Red Bull’s motorsport director Helmut Marko in Imola’s pride in winning. Everyone can imagine how that is received in the Mercedes warehouse. Hamilton had completely withdrawn from the blow caused by the lost 2021 World Cup final against Verstappen for weeks.
But the problem is: Hamilton is neither the crisis trigger nor the crisis solver. He had to protect him there, emphasized team boss Wolff. It’s not his low, it’s the car’s performance low. The problem is the current strong bouncing of the W13. Wolff confirmed Hamilton: “The guy is the best driver in the world, he currently does not have the machine and the equipment to show that.”
Imola winner Verstappen and world championship leader Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari do not currently have these worries. On May 8th, the Formula 1 race premiere will continue in Miami.
Source: Nachrichten
