Formula 1: Hamilton’s ride on the test bench

“Silverstone has been great but I don’t know if it will continue like this,” Hamilton said before the race at the weekend. The 37-year-old got off to a good start on Friday. After fifth in his first free practice, he fought for even the three places. First in qualifying. But in the third quarter, it came to an end early. In the seventh turn, W13 staggered and slammed over the gravel bottom and hit the barrier. “It was a big hit, but I’m fine,” the 37-year-old later said. .

“I am very disappointed in myself and I feel sorry for the team that worked so hard to prepare the car well,” said the seven-time world champion. “I think we could have fought for first place. I don’t know how that could have happened.” The fact that teammate George Russell installed his car soon after led to a double elimination for Mercedes.

“Of course, they both were looking for the limit,” Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said in an interview with ORF. “A lot of things have crashed, but the most important thing is that the two are doing well,” Wolff added, stressing the positivity from his point of view: “We will definitely have a good car on Sunday, then we can take it one step further.”

The fight continues with W13

This step forward is especially important because Spielberg is not statistically considered a Mercedes track. Hamilton was actually only able to celebrate twice from the top score on the podium at Spielberg. 2016 and 2020 in the second race in Austria due to the pandemic, the Grand Prix of Styria. Last year he finished second in the first race at Red Bull and missed the podium in the second race a week later in fourth.

At the time, it wasn’t the car that put the Briton and his team to sleep. Because after the “miracle machines” of past seasons, the new regulations should not play into the hands of Mercedes. The W13 hopped more over the Formula 1 calendar tracks and drew a porpoise-like curve. Hamilton started the season, a bit lucky, with third place in Bahrain. This was followed by 10th in Saudi Arabia, 4th in Australia, and at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix the Briton finished 13th without a point.

‘Going in the right direction’

In the first race in Miami, the seven-time world champion radioed into the pits after just a few laps, wondering if he shouldn’t have stopped the car. In the end it still ranked sixth. It was followed by fifth (Spain), eighth (Monaco) and fourth (Baku). The podium venues in Canada and Great Britain witnessed a renewed British fighting spirit. He is said to be spending more time in the simulator than ever, and the crew is getting excited again. The results also speak for themselves.

“If you look at where we were at the start of the season, things are going in the right direction. The car certainly has the potential to win. But everything has to come together well,” Hamilton said of Ferrari and Red Bull, who were faster at Silverstone with Sainz and Perez. Perfect for us, because we’re not yet at the level of the teams in front of us. In the end, Esteban Ocon (Albin)’s safety car cost Hamilton the win, according to team manager Toto Wolff, who, like the Briton himself, had already toyed with the idea of ​​winning his first win of the season.

Ahead of the weekend in Austria, Hamilton was positive but realistic: “I think in our current situation the podium is a good and feasible target.” It seems luck is now tipping the scales. However, in 2022, this was not often on the side of the eight-time Constructors’ World Champion and No. 44.