© Jiri Krenek for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
Ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton says he hopes the work Mercedes did on the W14 “will push us in the right direction”.
Ahead of the first race of the season – the Bahrain Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton gave his thoughts on where Mercedes’ car currently stands.
“In terms of the things we have here, we have got a wing that that we are going to try and we hope will be more suited to this circuit,” the Briton said.
“I don’t think that’s going to change everything massively, but hopefully that will push us in the right direction.
“We’ve had a lot of data to go through and we have definitely a much better understanding of where we have to put the car and where the weak points of the car are.
“So those won’t be fixed right now, but the men and women back at the factory are focused on getting that fixed as soon as possible.”
Lewis also said the team has been working hard to try and improve the W14 ahead of the first race of the season.
“I think everyone who has gone through those three days will know where they sit, and what tools they’ve got to work with.
“Naturally you arrive here with a much better understanding of the challenges that are ahead.
“I think we’ve had a few really good days of digesting the data, going through… I’ve been on calls every day with the team, deep diving…
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“Everyone’s been working so hard to make sure we arrive here as best prepared we can with the information we have. We still have a good challenge ahead of us.”
With porpoising, which plagued Mercedes’ 2022 car, seemingly out of the way, Lewis added that the team can now focus solely on bringing performance to the W14.
“I knew from the moment I drove the car where we were and the challenges that we would be facing.
“On a positive, not having the bouncing this year is a huge plus, and I think trying to understand what the problems were whilst having that bouncing really masks so many, it makes it difficult to figure out what those are.
“So we don’t have that now, and we can focus on just pure performance. I’m encouraged to see the focus and the courage of everyone with the team, so focused on getting us back to the top.
“We’re not where we wanted to start a season, naturally. But this still is a multi-world championship-winning team and group of people.
“So I believe in that,” Hamilton concluded.
