After his retirement in Melbourne, Hamilton expressed his disappointment on Sky F1, stating it was the worst start to a season he has ever experienced. He compared it to the challenging year of 2009 and emphasized the impact it had on the team morale after so much work during the winter break.
The Mercedes W15 has consistently underperformed in its first four races so far. Team boss Wolff and his team are currently working to find a suitable setup that will allow their drivers, Hamilton and George Russell, to drive the troublesome car with confidence and consistency.
Speaking ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, Wolff mentioned they have been focusing on improving the car’s consistency since the tough weekend in Australia. Although the car has shown flashes of good performance, they have struggled to deliver it at crucial moments in the first three races. Suzuka, with its unique mix of high-speed corners and low-speed sections, presents a different challenge compared to previous circuits.
In the 2024 F1 season, Mercedes currently sits in fourth place in the Constructors’ standings, with 26 points from three Grand Prix races. They are one point ahead of Aston Martin, but are 71 points behind the leaders, Red Bull. To make matters worse, McLaren’s Lando Norris, a Mercedes customer team, has accumulated more points than Hamilton and Russell combined.
Looking ahead to Suzuka, Wolff acknowledged that the race is taking place earlier in the year than usual. While this is unlikely to have a major impact, they will need to understand any differences it may cause in terms of track conditions. However, one thing that remains constant is the incredible support from Japanese fans, which always creates a fantastic atmosphere at Suzuka.
Over the years, Suzuka has been a successful circuit for Mercedes, with six consecutive victories between 2014 and 2019. Hamilton, a four-time winner at the venue, has contributed to the team’s success, along with wins by Valtteri Bottas in 2019 and Nico Rosberg in 2016, both driving for the Silver Arrows. This will also be Hamilton’s last Japanese Grand Prix before he moves to Ferrari next year.
