Neither Hamilton nor teammate George Russell have appeared fully comfy with their automobile throughout this week’s Bahrain take a look at, with the Mercedes not taking a look at ease within the quickly altering circumstances at Sakhir.
Hamilton set the fourth-fastest time on the finish of normal operating on Friday, though his effort was subsequently overwhelmed by Kevin Magnussen’s Haas – which accomplished an additional hour on observe solo to compensate for freight delays that brought about it to overlook Thursday morning’s session.
Though Hamilton shouldn’t be fully disheartened by the state of affairs, he admits issues have been removed from ideally suited.
“Yeah, it is robust,” he stated after the penultimate day of pre-season testing previous to subsequent weekend’s first grand prix in Bahrain.
“I imply, you possibly can see on the on-board, tank-slappers left, proper and centre. You are bouncing and bumping and it isn’t fairly blissful in the meanwhile. However we’re attempting to tame her.”
Hamilton doesn’t suppose that the upgrades Mercedes has dropped at the Bahrain take a look at are in charge for the struggles, as he as a substitute suspects that the distinctive circumstances of the Center East are the set off.
“It is the wind, it’s the bouncing that we have now,” he stated.
“We nonetheless have that this week, and if something it is worse. So we’re simply working by a number of totally different eventualities, attempting to determine how one can maintain on to the downforce and never have it bouncing because it was within the final take a look at.
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W13
Photograph by: Carl Bingham / Motorsport Images
“I believe everybody’s most likely in an identical boat. Some have managed to utilise or get round it in a greater means.
“However it’s troublesome on the market. It is bumpy, it is slippery. It is sand within the morning. Within the morning, it is means too sizzling. And within the afternoon, it is simply dusty.”
Hamilton has religion, nevertheless, that Mercedes can work on the problems it’s going through to be in good condition.
“It is simply hurdles that we’re coming throughout with this new form of automobile that everybody’s going through in 2022,” he stated.
“I am assured within the group right here and again of the manufacturing facility, that they’ll determine it out. However it’s positively not going to be a easy run.”
Russell was solely thirteenth quickest of the 15 drivers to run on Friday. However when requested about recommendations that Mercedes is sandbagging and disguising its true tempo, Hamilton dismissed them.
“We might be actually, actually, actually good if we had been having all these oversteer moments and having this cheesy driving, simply to cover our automobiles [pace],” he replied.
“It isn’t the case. We positively have issues that we’re attempting to get by.
“I believe, as I stated, others are struggling much less however who is aware of? Possibly once we get to subsequent week, we’ll have a greater understanding.”
