Mercedes pinpoints factor that thwarted Lewis Hamilton Las.....

Mercedes pinpoints factor that thwarted Lewis Hamilton Las…..read more.

Mercedes has identified a key factor that hindered Lewis Hamilton’s chances of winning the recent Formula 1 race in Las Vegas. The team experienced an unexpected increase in competitiveness, with George Russell clinching pole position and ultimately finishing first, leading a 1-2 finish for the team. Hamilton, however, faced challenges throughout the race, finishing seven seconds behind his teammate after starting from the 10th position on the grid.

Hamilton’s struggles began during the qualifying session, where mistakes on both of his attempts in Q3 relegated him to a less favorable starting position. He had shown impressive pace during the first two practice sessions and was expected to perform well. However, a lock-up at Turn 14 during his initial Q3 run, followed by a snap at Turn 3, hindered his chances. Post-race, Hamilton expressed that had he started in a better position, winning the race would have been relatively easy.

Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes’ Trackside Engineering Director, pointed out that the interruption caused by Franco Colapinto’s crash in Q2 likely affected Hamilton’s rhythm leading into Q3. The delay disrupted the flow of the session, and Shovlin believes that without this setback, Hamilton would have had a strong chance of securing a place on the front row. The long break while officials cleared the track may have thrown Hamilton off his game, resulting in two less-than-ideal laps that ultimately placed him in 10th.

Despite this setback, Shovlin praised Hamilton’s performance in the race, stating that it exceeded the pre-race simulations the team had conducted. He noted Hamilton’s determination to achieve a strong result, as he aggressively pursued his teammate, George Russell. However, Russell’s clear advantage from starting at the front allowed him