Lewis Hamilton has warned that Mercedes could see even worse performance on the racetrack if they abandon their current approach and simply copy championship leaders Red Bull.
The seven-time world champion has warned that the solution to the team’s woes is “not as simple” as adopting similar elements of their rival’s design, fearing it would “not change a thing.”
“People keep talking about getting the new sidepods on the car but it’s not as simple as that,” Hamilton stressed, urging greater focus on the W14’s aerodynamic failings.
“You put the Red Bull sidepods on our car and it won’t change a thing, it literally won’t change a thing, it might even go slower. It’s about aero characteristics, it’s how the car is balanced through the corner,” Hamilton continued.
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“There’s so many different elements that people of course would not know because they’re not aerodynamicists and you can’t see it – there’s a lot more to it,” the Mercedes driver explained.
Having failed to win a race last season, Hamilton will be looking for success later in the season, having only managed back-to-back fifth place finishes in the first two races of 2023.
Hamilton’s teammate George Russell has experienced similar challenges with the car, managing seventh in Bahrain and fourth in Jeddah.
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Ahead of the 2023 season, team principal Toto Wolff defended the decision to retain the Mercedes zero sidepod concept after their challenging performance last year.
“I think it’s important to be bold in this sport, and I’m still proud of the solutions that were put on the car last year,” Wolff told reporters at the car’s launch.
However, Wolff has since changed tact, hinting at “much bigger” upgrades than previously planned, which could see the team abandon its zero sidepod design, if they are to get back to their winning ways.