Hamilton’s Disappointing Race at Suzuka

Kosport Magazine – October 2024

The Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka was a race filled with ups and downs for Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton. Despite showing promising potential in practice with a new set-up direction for the W15, Hamilton’s race was hindered by a minor clash with Charles Leclerc in the opening sequence of corners, leaving him with car damage.

As a result, Hamilton struggled with excessive understeer throughout the race, making it difficult for him to maintain his position. In a surprising move, he even let his teammate George Russell pass him, as Russell seemed to have better pace.

Speaking to Kosport Magazine, Hamilton expressed his disappointment with the car’s performance, stating that it was never what he had hoped for. He also mentioned the damage from the clash with Leclerc, which forced him to dial in more wing to compensate for the loss of downforce.

Despite his best efforts, Hamilton was unable to make up for lost time and finished in a disappointing seventh place. Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin explained that the team’s poor qualifying performance had set them back for the race.

“We know that we are not quick enough at the moment, so we will continue to work hard to improve that,” Shovlin said.

Despite the challenging result, the team was able to gather valuable information about the car and continue to develop their understanding of the W15.

Looking Ahead

While the Japanese Grand Prix may not have been the result that Hamilton and Mercedes were hoping for, they are determined to bounce back in the next race. With the championship still up for grabs, every point counts and the team is focused on improving their performance.

As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how Mercedes adapts and evolves their car to stay competitive. With fierce competition from other teams, every race will be crucial in the fight for the championship.

In the meantime, fans can catch up on all the latest news and updates from the world of motorsports on Kosport Magazine. Stay tuned for more exciting races and updates from the F1 world.