Lewis Hamilton explained that one of the most challenging years for his Mercedes engineers is behind his qualifying struggles throughout the 2024 Formula 1 campaign.
Hamilton is statistically the greatest qualifier all-time in F1, having amassed 104 pole positions.
However, in 2024 he has been significantly out-qualified by his Mercedes team-mate George Russell at a rate of 13 to five.
Before a more positive qualifying performance at the Singapore Grand Prix where he wound up third, Hamilton sought to explain his one-lap inconsistencies.
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Hamilton described a shifting car balance through multiple phases of a corner, stating: “You’re in the braking zone and the rear is out of the window and then all of a sudden, mid-corner or before the apex, it’s in the window and then it’s out of the window again.
“I think it’s the air characteristics shifting every week.
“So, from having a bigger wing to a smaller beam wing to having a bigger beam wing to having front wings that are flexing, rear wings that are flexing…
“It’s such a competitive and really challenging time I think for the aerodynamicists and for simulations to make sure they correlate each weekend
I think it’s been probably one of the most challenging times at least I know for my engineers it’s been a very, very challenging time to try and get this car in the perfect window.”
Hamilton baffled by Mercedes performance fluctuations
On plenty of occasions throughout the 2024 season, Hamilton has been in a positive mood after Friday practice sessions, only to find himself off the pace and baffled during qualifying.
His Mercedes seemingly changes overnight, leading F1’s all-time leading polesitter to question his qualifying talents.
“That’s probably one of the most frustrating things is that you prepare the same, get to bed early sleep well, eat right all that and then the next day the car is completely different when you barely change anything,” he expressed.
“[In Baku], the car was in a really consistent place and then on Saturday it just disappeared. And that’s pretty much happened to every weekend.”
Remarkably, the inverse occurred in Singapore as Hamilton went from being off the pace on Friday to out-qualifying Russell on Saturday with Mercedes making “night and day” changes to his car.
“This morning, and all of yesterday, we were 1.2 seconds off these guys,” Hamilton explained post-qualifying in Singapore.
“We made some more changes and got into this session, and it was like night and day – such a big difference.
“Car was all of a sudden alive and would go where I want to go.”
