Gary Anderson expressed his disapproval of Lewis Hamilton’s sudden change in configuration during the recent Grand Prix in China. The seven-time world champion had a disappointing start to the 2024 Formula 1 season, finishing second in the sprint race. Despite showing great speed during the 19-lap race, Hamilton’s weekend took a downward turn when he made a mistake in turn 15 and was eliminated in Q1.
Hamilton admitted to tinkering and altering the setup of his W15 in an attempt to improve his performance. However, this decision had the opposite effect, reducing the overall performance of the car. Anderson, a former F1 technical director, was shocked by Hamilton’s “bizarre decision” to change a setup that was already working well.
Anderson questioned why Hamilton chose to completely reconfigure the car instead of making small adjustments. He believes that George Russell’s approach to optimizing the W15 is the correct one, as Russell has shown what the car is capable of. Hamilton and the team should accept their current situation instead of making drastic changes.
Anderson also criticized Hamilton for making a sudden change in configuration without time to test it during race weekends. He believes this is not something a seven-time world champion should do. Even Hamilton’s fans were shocked by the decision, considering the narrow operating window of the W15.
Formula 1 is a highly competitive sport that demands precision from both the drivers and the teams. There is no “magic bullet” that can give drivers a significant advantage and lead them to the championship. However, the sudden changes in Hamilton’s setup indicate that he is in search of that magical solution to suddenly compete at the front of the pack. Unfortunately, these setup changes have not been successful so far, which is a cause for concern for Hamilton and the Brackley-based team.
Anderson, who has extensive experience in motorsport, has never seen a sudden breakthrough that propels drivers to the front of the pack. He believes that Hamilton’s approach of constantly changing the setup throughout the weekend in hopes of unlocking the performance of the W15 is not the right strategy. Hamilton will need to bounce back stronger in the upcoming stages to silence the critics who have questioned his form this season.
