Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has revealed that Lewis Hamilton’s wish for 2024 will come true, after the 38-year-old complained that his driving position was “too far forward”.
One of Hamilton’s leading complaints with the W14 has been that the cockpit is too far forward for his liking, with the seven-time World Champion preferring to sit towards the rear of the car.
According to Wolff, Hamilton’s wish is going to come true next season, with the W15’s cockpit set to be further back.
“We have to get back to basics,” Wolff told Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport.
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“I don’t want to hear Lewis say anymore ‘My cockpit is too far forward’.”
Despite Hamilton’s unhappiness with the cockpit of Mercedes’ current car, the biggest issue that has faced Hamilton and George Russell is confidence or more specifically a lack of it.
Both drivers have struggled to drive with the W14 with trust and belief, impacting how many points they’ve been able to score.
Increasing Hamilton’s and Russell’s confidence in the car for 2024 is one of the biggest things Mercedes have taken away from 2022 and 2023, with Wolff wanting the team to give both drivers a “solid foundation” from the get-go next season.
“We know what we understand and will not pay attention to what we do not understand,” said Wolff. “The biggest problem is that the drivers have no confidence in the car.
“We have to give them a solid foundation to score good points.”
If everything comes together as well as Mercedes hope, then the goal is to take the fight to Red Bull and Max Verstappen, who have been superior since the new aerodynamic regulations were introduced last year.
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However, in order to return to the front, Mercedes need to discover three to four-tenths in lap-time, something which might not be possible let alone in 2024 but even before the new power unit regulations are introduced.
Whilst Wolff hopes Mercedes can catch Red Bull next season, he’s aware that it might not happen until 2026.
“By 2026 we will be at the top again, but I wouldn’t be in this sport if I didn’t think it was possible to overtake Red Bull,” said Wolff. “If we can find three or four tenths, then we are part of the fight again.”