Hamilton surpasses Russell for the second time in 10 stages at the Barcelona circuit.
Lewis Hamilton revealed that a careful analysis of tire behavior helped him solve his previous difficulties during qualifying sessions in the 2024 Formula 1 season in Spain.
Hamilton holds the record for the most pole positions in the sport, with 104, but had been struggling to have clean sessions this season before the race in Barcelona.
His difficulties even led him to suggest in Monaco that he would not be able to surpass his teammate George Russell for the rest of the season, as he was losing 7-1 in their direct battles.
This statement prompted an anonymous email alleging that Mercedes was using unfair tactics to sabotage Hamilton in his final season with the team.
However, Mercedes rejected the accusation, and Hamilton had his best performance of the season in Spain, converting his third position on the grid into a podium finish.
When asked about how he overcame his problems, Hamilton emphasized that tire temperature was the main factor, and he remains hopeful that this marks a turning point for him.
“I conducted an extensive analysis and requested a lot of information from the team on how we can improve, specifically regarding the tires,” explained Hamilton.
“We are continuously working to improve our processes from one session to another.
Qualifying brings some changes, as the car becomes lighter and we rely more on DRS.
Only time will tell, but I believe we have made a discovery and now we need to build on top of that.”
Hamilton is confident that his previous difficulties were mainly caused by the delicate nature of Pirelli’s current tire compounds, and not by any inherent failure in his Mercedes W15 car.
When asked if the problem was in the tires or in the car itself, Hamilton replied: “I believe it’s a combination of both.
The car’s aerodynamics are more sensitive and require a delicate balance between mechanical and aerodynamic aspects, especially when transitioning from high to low speeds.
However, tire temperature and the way you drive your warm-up laps are also crucial.
Every team is trying to find the right balance. Just look at the Ferraris in Montreal, which failed to advance from Q2.
This can only be attributed to tire temperature, even though they have a fast car and have won a race before.
This just shows that it’s easy to have tire performance issues and it’s also easy to push the tires too hard.
I believe the tires are more sensitive this season compared to any other season I’ve been in.”
