The 2022 Mercedes season, far from getting better, is getting worse. In Imola the current champion suffered a new humiliation in the sprint race and both Wolff and Hamilton already give up the season.
The change in regulations has not been good for Mercedes. Despite having successfully faced all the regulatory changes that have occurred since 2014, the one that Formula 1 has experienced this year has taken the team completely by surprise, which, for the moment, chains eight consecutive constructors’ titles.
But this record streak is going to end this year, because Mercedes has bottomed out at Imola and it is further than ever from the head. In fact, he is at serious risk of not scoring, according to what was seen in the sprint race on Saturday.
It is not realistic to think about the championship
For all these reasons, Mercedes ends its race for the 2022 championship and, from now on, limits itself to trying to straighten out a very innovative car, but one that has not responded to expectations.
This is recognized by Toto Wolff himself, who admitted yesterday that “The sprint race was a complete failure and another humiliating experience. You can say, “Well, we’re trying to learn”, but we weren’t very good with warming up the tyres, so there’s not much that can be done. You can’t expect a miracle at the start, because overtaking is very difficult.”
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With the sole objective of scratching a point in today’s race, Mercedes is aware of its limitations, but Wolff affirms that they are not looking for blame and solutions.
“There is no division, and there is no blame or anything like that. There is pressure, but I would say that it is necessary to do things well. No one on the team is close to enjoying themselves right now. And this team – we have done it in the past – we just have to get out of that hole, “says the Mercedes director.
“We have four races and we are probably at the lowest point of these first four races. It is obvious that we are not even close to fighting at the front. And it would be quite unrealistic to say that we are among the main candidates to fight for the championship », he sentences.
The worst car of his career?
Lewis Hamilton he has also admitted that there is little left to do this year in terms of the championship, bitterly recalling the experience of a sprint race in which he finished 15th without having suffered a mishap.
«It was complicated and today I suppose it will be the same. I think the whole year will be difficult for us, but what doesn’t destroy us will make us stronger. There is no light at the end of the tunnel, but we are working to find it.”he points in an attempt to lift his spirits.
“We didn’t know where the others would be. They have been very innovative with the design. Y our wind tunnel said we had really good downforce. Unfortunately, we didn’t see that… There was no porpoising, for example, in the wind tunnel. And we find this phenomenon », he explains.
Lewis Hamilton made his debut in 2007 and since then has enjoyed many winning single-seaters. However, this year’s is very close to what he considers the worst of his career.
“There are people who say that I have never had a bad car. And I can assure you that I have. The 2009 car (McLaren MP4-24) was far, far away, and it was the worst I’ve ever owned. This car is not far from that experience, but I think it has a lot of potential.”
“We fixed that car and went back to the fight. Y I have a lot of faith that my team can do that now too.”Hamilton concluded.
Photos: Mercedes-AMG F1