F1 News: Lewis Hamilton Frustrated With W15 Bouncing - "It's Three Years In A Row..."
Following a difficult free practice session where Lewis Hamilton expressed his lack of confidence in the W15's rear end at high speeds, the seven-time world champion has voiced his frustration with the recurring bouncing issue in his Mercedes car, which he has been grappling with for the past three years.
Key Takeaways:
- Lewis Hamilton voiced frustration over persistent bouncing issues with his Mercedes car, affecting his confidence and consistency during high-speed maneuvers for three years.
- Despite morning improvements, bouncing problems resurfaced during afternoon qualifying, underscoring the urgency of addressing the issue.
- Hamilton emphasized the need for immediate action to resolve the intensified problem, highlighting its impact on stability and performance, especially compared to previous experiences.
Hamilton further disclosed the inconsistency he experiences with the car, noting that he was beginning to adjust to his W15 this morning as it felt improved, only to encounter bouncing issues during the afternoon qualifying session.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1 about the problem, Hamilton said:
"It was similar to previous years. There are so many elements of this car which are better, but we are being hindered with the bouncing we have.
"The bouncing we have through turns six, seven, eight, nine and 10, which probably affected George...it's something they have not been able to fix. We made some changes overnight and this morning the car felt so much better.
"I was re-gaining this confidence again then when we get to qualifying, it disappeared again. But George did a great job. He's a lot more comfortable in the car - similar to the past couple of years I'd say.
"But we keep our heads down and keep working away. I've got a bit of a better feeling as to where the issues are coming from so I will try and address it with the team."
Hamilton indicated the timing of the bouncing issues while urging for a prompt resolution to the problem. He added:
"We've tried every set-up change. We can't get rid of it. It's difficult to explain.
"We had some bouncing in Bahrain but nowhere near as intense as here.
"That first sector is super high-speed with a lot of yaw in the car and a lot of lateral load and the bouncing really offsets the car quite a bit.
"If you imagine when the car goes up and down at the back, your balance shifts forwards and rearwards
"If you are doing that at 160 or 170mph, correcting that each time...the others like Max are flat through six, seven and eight and the balance is just stable. That's what we are working towards.
"We've got to fix it. It's three years in a row. We've got to get on top of it."