Are Mercedes Restricting Hamilton's Powertrain?

Are Mercedes Restricting Hamilton's Powertrain?

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Discussion

Andy Allenton

Original Poster:

554 posts

122 months

Tuesday 17th November 2015
quotequote all
I've found others on different forums who share my surprise that since Lewis Hamilton looked set to win the WDC, he's no longer able to regularly overhaul Rosberg. Surely his team wouldn't restrict Lewis's engine to stop him getting tangled up with Nico to 'guarantee' a 1-2 Mercedes finish?
On a different note but also odd, does anyone have an explanation for their poor Singapore results? I know the track may not have suited their cars, but come now, something strange must have been going on behind the scenes...

SlipStream77

2,153 posts

190 months

Tuesday 17th November 2015
quotequote all
Nico's just been a bit faster recently, that's all.

Mr_Thyroid

1,995 posts

226 months

Tuesday 17th November 2015
quotequote all
What's more likely - that Mercedes would deliberately scupper the chances of their most marketable asset
or.... with the championship all but secured he would unconsciously relax slightly, just 0.whatever%, enough to give Rosberg the tiny advantage he's enjoyed in quali for the last 5 races.

37chevy

3,280 posts

155 months

Tuesday 17th November 2015
quotequote all
I am a Hamilton fan.....

....but no!

A) thy wouldn't risk pissing off their best driver
B) they wouldn't risk the bad publicity if found out

Rosberg has done a better job in qualifying lately, and unfortunately that's when races are won these days with only 2 cars realistically in the hunt....it's harder to overtake an identical car to yours on identical strategy so the tyres are in the same condition when you are in the dirty air of the car in front so have 40% less downforce....

...Hamilton needs to do a better job on Saturday. Simple

sandman77

2,365 posts

137 months

Wednesday 18th November 2015
quotequote all
Andy Allenton said:
I've found others on different forums who share my surprise that since Lewis Hamilton looked set to win the WDC, he's no longer able to regularly overhaul Rosberg. Surely his team wouldn't restrict Lewis's engine to stop him getting tangled up with Nico to 'guarantee' a 1-2 Mercedes finish?
On a different note but also odd, does anyone have an explanation for their poor Singapore results? I know the track may not have suited their cars, but come now, something strange must have been going on behind the scenes...
Absolutely - there is no way that anybody could actually beat Lewis Hamilton in an identical car. rolleyes

wanacoop

1,247 posts

221 months

Wednesday 18th November 2015
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I'm wondering if these new tyre pressure regs have helped Rosberg. I posted my thoughts in the Brazilian grand prix thread.
But when Eddie interviewed Toto, he asked his thoughts about the fact that since the tyre pressure's have changed, 5 or so races ago, the two drivers have been far closer.

Could there be something in that?

spats

838 posts

154 months

Wednesday 18th November 2015
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I think to perform as well as he does to win the title hes had to work at 100 percent everytime hes behind the wheel.

With his lifestyle (which is his choice of course) hitting that 100 percent everytime was a huge push, so now the task is done hes let off a tiny amount, whereas Nico is now back to 100 percent after the birth of his child. That plus the pressure is off hes finding his feet.

IF (and its a big if) he can keep his game up as he has these last few races then Hamilton will either have to knuckle down next year or be in a very real chance of loosing out.

The next race will be very telling. Hamilton has realised Nico is a threat, and will have to respond.

But I very much doubt merc are pulling the powertrain in from under him, knowing how quick Hamilton is loose confidence in himself is too big a risk imoa.

aponting389

741 posts

177 months

Wednesday 18th November 2015
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sandman77 said:
Absolutely - there is no way that anybody could actually beat Lewis Hamilton in an identical car. rolleyes
That is pretty much true though, isn't it?

hondafanatic

4,969 posts

200 months

Wednesday 18th November 2015
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PW said:
Is there an opposite to Occam's razor, whereby the most convoluted, stupid reason for a situation is the most logical, reserved for tabloid journalists and F1 fans?
Yes...and it comes with a free tin foil hat.

Logie

835 posts

215 months

Wednesday 18th November 2015
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I don't think they are doing anything performance wise but I think they are making no effort strategy wise with him to try and get him in front of Nico, like the tyre BS in Mexico.

otolith

55,899 posts

203 months

Wednesday 18th November 2015
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He's already won. Passing his teammate in the same car with the same strategy meant taking big risks. Now that he doesn't need to, he isn't doing. He's matured since the time when he would have done it anyway.

LivewareProblem

1,270 posts

193 months

Wednesday 18th November 2015
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laughrofllaugh

The shock of Hamilton not winning two GPs in a row is clearly too much for some people

deadslow

7,960 posts

222 months

Wednesday 18th November 2015
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The balance of the car has changed and it now falls into the other guy's comfort zone. The same thing happened to Vettel in a super-exagerated way last year. These elite drivers are within tenths/hundredths of a second of each other, so as the car evolves through development or rule change different drivers are able to extract a few thousandths of a second as it falls into their preferred performance zone.

Previously testing would have allowed LH to sort this out, but not any more.

No conspiracy. In the right car, they're all great.

glazbagun

14,257 posts

196 months

Wednesday 18th November 2015
quotequote all
spats said:
I think to perform as well as he does to win the title hes had to work at 100 percent everytime hes behind the wheel.

With his lifestyle (which is his choice of course) hitting that 100 percent everytime was a huge push, so now the task is done hes let off a tiny amount, whereas Nico is now back to 100 percent after the birth of his child. That plus the pressure is off hes finding his feet.

IF (and its a big if) he can keep his game up as he has these last few races then Hamilton will either have to knuckle down next year or be in a very real chance of loosing out.
This is my view, too. Nico & Hamilton were very close in early 2014, Rosberg actually outqualifying the very fast Hamilton. They are obviously both rapid when their stars align and at their level (after fifty laps in a noisy shaky cockpit) I'm sure even something like a missed meal or couple of bad nights sleep could rob abit of speed and endurance.


After Spa (in my view anyway) I think Nico began to feel hard done by as he was slapped down for pushing his elbows out. Then he got married and got his wife pregnant.

Lewis on the other hand found his confidence, got rid of his girlfriend, focused on his job and began to routinely win.

Now both have relaxed a bit which has helped Nico, and dropped Lewis' game as he's been partying a bit harder than normal which has hindered him slightly.

At Merc the driver in front gets the choicest strategy. This has favored Lewis in the past and favored Nico the last couple of races. Tey don't need to hobble Lewis to ensure Nico finishes above Seb.

Jasandjules

69,825 posts

228 months

Wednesday 18th November 2015
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No.

Next.

btcc123

1,243 posts

146 months

Wednesday 18th November 2015
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sandman77 said:
Absolutely - there is no way that anybody could actually beat Lewis Hamilton in an identical car. rolleyes
Well Button did,he had more ponts than Hamilton when they were together for three years in an identical car at McLaren

MTech535

613 posts

110 months

Wednesday 18th November 2015
quotequote all
The pressure is off.
Lewis thrives on it, Nico not so much.
They are so close it does not take much to reverse their positions in qualifying.
Lewis might be able to pass Nico on track, less likely to happen the other way round.

ZX10R NIN

27,490 posts

124 months

Thursday 19th November 2015
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I think Rosberg never fully recovered from the Spa incident & only now after Lewis has taken one liberty to many (& been publicly pulled up for doing so) has Nico started to feel he can actually fight with Lewis & his starts have improved.

As for Lewis wanting a different strategy I find it quite funny because had Nico asked for the same when Lewis was in front of him, I'm sure Lewis would have loved for the team to give Nico a winning strategy rolleyes

We only have to look at Monaco when Lewis decided he wanted to pit & the kerfuffle that went on after that, that Mercedes should leave things as they are.


CraigyMc

16,301 posts

235 months

Thursday 19th November 2015
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Jasandjules said:
No.

Next.
If only PH had a "like" feature.

fkit. Have this one.


angrymoby

2,605 posts

177 months

Thursday 19th November 2015
quotequote all
btcc123 said:
Well Button did,he had more ponts than Hamilton when they were together for three years in an identical car at McLaren
you hold on to that 'crumb'

Drivers Championship Positions:
Hamilton 2 / Button 1

Qualifying:
Faster qualifying time: Hamilton 44 / Button 14
Poles: Hamilton 9 / Button 1
Front rows: Hamilton: 23 / Button 9

Races
Wins: Hamilton 10 / Button 8
Podiums: Hamilton 22 / Button 25
Points finishes: Hamilton 45 / Button 47
DNFs: Hamilton 13 / Button 8
Best race result (inc DNFs): Hamilton 32 / Button 26
Ahead in two-car finish: Hamilton 24 / Button 13