Hamilton will be patient with Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton knows that Mercedes will not become a title and victory contender overnight. The English driver, who signed a 3-year contract with the German manufacturer, nevertheless hopes to help his new team progress to achieve this goal.
By moving from McLaren to Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton is taking on a new challenge. However, the British driver is aware that his new team will not be able to immediately join the fight at the front and that it will take time for the German manufacturer to aim for the world title. Accustomed to success, Hamilton will therefore show patience with his new employer.
« It’s a marathon, not a sprint. I hope this year we can be competitive. If we manage to be at the front in the first race, it will be spectacular, but if not, we know we will have to keep working. I haven’t driven the car yet, so I don’t know what problems they had. It’s not like I can say ‘This or that thing needs to be improved’. They didn’t have enough downforce last year, » explains the Englishman who was officially introduced to the employees of the German team this week in Brackley.
Last year, the F1 W03 also struggled to manage the Pirelli tires well, a problem that already handicapped the 2011 car from the star manufacturer. With the technical regulations stable compared to 2012, this specific point could be the focus of all the engineers’ attention while keeping in mind that 2014 will see significant changes that Mercedes intends to use to catch up with the competition: « Obviously, 2014 will be a better opportunity because we will start from scratch. »
But Hamilton, who counts 21 victories to his name, will he be satisfied with podium finishes? « I am sure he will. You must remember that I had a few less competitive cars, especially the one in 2009, but it improved, so perseverance will be key for us. I hope to have a significant impact during the early testing days because I will be able to compare the car to another and say how we can do better. But it will take time to put everything together with the different settings, the characteristics of the car, the aerodynamic balance, etc. So, I don’t know how long it will take. »
From then on, Lewis Hamilton did not set overly high goals for his debut as a Mercedes driver: « It’s important to be realistic. You have to remember the evolution of F1 and my experience during my six years at McLaren; the car evolved every year and [you also have to keep in mind] the time it takes to develop a car to find a second throughout the season. Knowing that Mercedes was 1.1 seconds behind in Brazil, I think it was almost 2 seconds in Suzuka, you have to understand that it’s going to be complicated to find 2 seconds in 3 months. I just have to be aware of that, but I know the guys are working their best and every little bit counts. »
