F1 Miami News: Lewis Hamilton Questions Mercedes - 'We're Fighting With Haas'

Alex Harrington | May 4, 2024

May 2, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton (44) during a press / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Lewis Hamilton has expressed concerns over Mercedes' performance, stating a troubling comparison with Haas F1 team. The British driver qualified eighth, lagging significantly behind leaders Red Bull, McLaren, and Ferrari.

Lewis Hamilton's voice carried a tone of concern rather than the usual competitive spirit that has defined much of his illustrious Formula 1 career. As Max Verstappen from Red Bull Racing clinched the pole position, Hamilton and his Mercedes team found themselves grappling with yet more unresolved issues on the W15 machinery.

Qualifying eighth, the seven-time world champion was frank about the difficulties Mercedes faced in optimizing their car's performance, especially under conditions that should have been favorable.

"The track temperature was pretty similar the whole way through and the grip of the track felt really good," Hamilton commented.

The Mercedes cars, like many during today's Miami campaign, couldn't find and keep the cars in the optimum window of performance due to the sheer heat of the Florida sun. This issue was evident as Hamilton pointed out the sensitivity of the tires:

"These tyres are so sensitive. Trying to get the tyres to work and deliver the maximum potential is something we struggle with."

As the qualifying rounds progressed, Hamilton's performance saw a temporary uptick in Q2, giving the team a glimmer of hope. However, this was short-lived as Q3 brought stark realities back into focus, with Hamilton finishing eight-tenths of a second off the pace set by Verstappen and his RB20. His disappointment was palpable.

"Then we had that glimpse of hope in Q2 then in Q3 we were nowhere. Generally, it's been a much better day. We went forwards in the Sprint and then Qualifying, getting into Q3 was positive." 

What perhaps stung more was the comparison to teams such as Haas, which traditionally have not competed at the same level as Mercedes.

"For us to be eight-tenths off is tough. We are fighting the Haas and I don't really know if that's the true speed of our car or whether it's the tyres.

This season has been a litmus test for Mercedes, as they grapple to align their engineering solutions with the demanding and often temperamental nature of their W15. Trying to put a brave face on a challenging campaign, Hamilton concluded:

"For us to be eighth-tenths off is tough. We are fighting the Haas and I don't really know if that's the true speed of our car or whether it's the tyres. I think there's a lot in these tyres that we are struggling to... we have not been able to use them all year."