Lewis Hamilton knows there is pressure to improve in 2024 after Max Verstappen’s dominant year with Red Bull.
Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes have been told by Formula One CEO Stefano Domenicali that they have a “duty” to get better in 2024. During their two difficult seasons with the Silver Arrows, Hamilton and teammate George Russell watched Red Bull and Max Verstappen win two world championships.
Verstappen has easily won two more championships with little opposition from Mercedes since Hamilton was unjustly denied the 2021 title. In the beginning of October of this year, the Dutchman had the title secured.
It has been since the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in 2021 that Hamilton has failed to win a race. In the past two years, Russell’s victory in Brazil in 2022 has been Mercedes’ only victory.
Mercedes says they’ll keep working to catch up, but they worry that Red Bull will have advanced their car technology too much by 2024. Domenicali maintains that Toto Wolff, Hamilton, and Russell have a “duty” to advance the game and increase competition.
“To ensure that they understand that they have a big duty in that,” the CEO stated, “I really hope that the teams are under pressure.”
The seven-time world champion Hamilton acknowledges that Red Bull’s early lead in the development of their 2024 car worries him. He makes the point that they did not need to continue making improvements to their 2023 car after August because of their dominance in 2024, when they won all but one race.
Red Bull has been able to concentrate on creating an even better vehicle for the upcoming season instead. Hamilton doesn’t think Verstappen and company will be stopped in 2024, as the Dutchman is the clear favorite to win the championship for a record-breaking fourth time.
Following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Hamilton remarked, “At this point, I don’t really know.”
“They haven’t touched the car since August, and Red Bull won by a margin of 17 seconds. Thus, it’s safe to assume that you know where they’ll be at this time next year. Since August, [Red Bull] hasn’t even developed their vehicle. It is unquestionably concerning.
Hamilton didn’t seem to think Mercedes would succeed in 2024. “We’ve learned a lot about the car, and now it’s just up to the team,” he continued. They are aware of what must be done. We shall see if we make it there or not.
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