Mercedes' Dirty Little Secret? The Truth Behind Hamilton's Struggles in 2024

The motorsport world is abuzz with rumors and speculations: is Lewis Hamilton being given a fair shot within the Mercedes team? According to Mercedes, the claims that Hamilton’s one-lap struggles in the 2024 Formula 1 season are due to unequal treatment are “not true and not fair.”

While Hamilton has shown moments of brilliance during practice sessions, his pace seems to evaporate when it matters most, like during qualifying. His seventh-place qualification in Monaco despite strong practice times, trailing his teammate George Russell, has only fueled the speculation further. This mysterious decline in performance even led Hamilton himself to express doubt about his competitive edge under low-fuel conditions for the remainder of the season.

The chatter increased after the Canadian Grand Prix, where Hamilton slipped from being fastest in FP3 to seventh in qualifying while Russell snagged pole. However, Mercedes Technical Director James Allison vehemently denies any foul play. “If you look at the stats, maybe it would be reasonable to think the trend shows Hamilton might not be on pole often, but to suggest a systematic disadvantage is ludicrous,” Allison told F1’s Beyond the Grid podcast.

Allison is adamant that the cars Hamilton and Russell drive are practically identical in setup and engine use. The rare occasions when there has been a difference, such as the use of a new front wing in Monaco, were transparent team decisions. “We had the conversation and Lewis said, ‘No, I’ll let George have it,’” Allison remarked, putting to bed any notions of an unfair advantage being handed to Russell.

The real issue, according to Allison, lies in Hamilton’s driving style and its incompatibility with the current tyre setup. “The car-tyre combo this year doesn’t like being hustled. You get the best lap times when you’re not trying too hard,” Allison noted. He believes that Hamilton's historical success as the best qualifier in the sport’s history is now contrasting sharply with this year’s peculiar dynamics.

“The car has been a troubled beast for much of the year,” Allison admitted. He also noted that the team's recent improvements have provided a more consistent basis for intra-team comparisons. “It’s become a much, much better car in the last two or three races, making judgments about driver performance more meaningful,” he stated.

Despite his qualifying struggles, Hamilton’s race pace remains strong relative to Russell. However, Allison pointed out that Russell has consistently been able to extract the maximum from the W15 in qualifying. “George is really good at getting the car at its best in qualifying trim,” Allison said. “In race conditions, it’s much more even, and Lewis has been strong on multiple occasions relative to George.”

The British technical director believes that Hamilton’s qualifying woes extend beyond the Mercedes garage. “Across the pit lane, the current car-tyre combo doesn’t like being pushed to the limit. You often see surprising lap times in practice from various cars that can’t be replicated in qualifying,” Allison observed. The intense focus and adrenaline-fueled push during qualifying may ironically be the culprit behind suboptimal lap times.

While Hamilton’s struggles this season are certainly a topic of debate, Mercedes stands firm in its assertion that the playing field is level. With the car’s recent improvements, it remains to be seen whether Hamilton can adapt to the peculiarities of this year’s car-tyre setup and reclaim his dominance. And as the season progresses, the narrative surrounding one of F1’s greatest drivers will undoubtedly continue to evolve.