Lewis Hamilton will part ways with Mercedes’ 2022 Formula 1 car in post-season testing after both drivers complained about the return of the pigskin at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
At the start of the season, the Mercedes W13 experienced ground effect due to the high-frequency jumps of the drivers centered on the high-speed right. Although the most aggressive, Mercedes was not the only one affected by this.
He made progress in understanding and mitigating the problem. As the season progressed and the FIA introduced a technical manual mid-season to help alleviate i. But some aspects and features of the track still cause problems for some teams. Hamilton and teammate George Russell made progress in Abu Dhabi which. Combined with a huge lack of speed, made qualifying difficult.
Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, told Mercedes that by 2023 “you have to build efficient cars” and “they won’t make cars”. However, Hamilton said: “I’m looking forward to the end of Tuesday (post-season testing in Abu Dhabi). This is the last time I’ll have to drive this car and I never want to drive it again.” this aga
He also suggested it was a useful end-of-season lesson for Mercedes. And the bad trip is back… It feels good to be here.
According to Wolff, Mercedes knew a repeat of Brazil this weekend was unlikely.
He said Mercedes’ “doomsday table” predicted Abu Dhabi would be “one of the worst circuits”.
After experimenting with high- and low-downforce rear wings in practice. Mercedes opted for a larger wing, hoping the high-speed trade-off would pay off in terms of tire control. “We lingered too long for a good qualifying session, losing 6 out of 10 on the straight. And the car’s lack of aerodynamic efficiency is not easily remedied by shortening the rear wing,” Wolff said. . .
“If you shorten the rear wing, you won’t be able to go through corners as quickly. “It’s nice that there is a correlation between the simulation and the results. That’s the only positive thing we see. Hopefully we’ll have a strong race car with soft tires, even if overtaking isn’t possible. Or protect.”
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“According to my contract, it won’t be one of the cars I want!”
Fifth in the heat marked the first time in Hamilton’s career that he has missed pole in a single season. The F1 season also ends in a tie for the first time.
Mercedes team manager Toto Wolff echoed Hamilton’s comments about the W13. “The W13 will always have a special place in our collection,” he joked. Hamilton and Russell posted lap times of 1/3000th of a second but were 7/10ths behind. Max Verstappen after scoring some points in Brazil last weekend.