Strategy Miscommunication at Mercedes: Hamilton Surprised by Russell’s Winning Move at Belgian GP

"Lewis Hamilton was surprised by George Russell's strategy

"Was I aware my teammate could undercut me with a one-stop strategy? That wasn't communicated to me."

Lewis Hamilton disclosed that Mercedes did not communicate to him the potential threat posed by George Russell's one-stop strategy, which could have led to his defeat at the F1 Belgian Grand Prix.

In Sunday's race at Spa-Francorchamps, Hamilton was outpaced by his teammate Russell due to strategic decisions.

The seven-time world champion followed a traditional two-stop strategy after leading the race during its initial stages.

Russell, aiming for a maximum finish of fifth, took a risk with a strategy of making only one pit stop.

Despite Hamilton narrowing the gap by approximately 0.8 seconds each lap, he couldn't manage to pass.

Russell initially secured victory in the race, but was subsequently stripped of his win when it was discovered his vehicle was 1.5kg below the minimum weight requirement.

After the race, before Russell was disqualified, Hamilton openly expressed his frustration with the inadequate communication from the Mercedes team.

Speaking to Viaplay, he mentioned, "It's essential to trust the individuals you collaborate with, so I place my trust in my strategist."

"I expected to fully rely on him. I mentioned to him that the tyres were in good condition, yet they still brought me in.

"Was I aware that there was a chance my teammate could outpace me with a single pit stop? No, that information wasn't shared with me."

“Kudos to George for his outstanding effort. It's wonderful to enter the break on such a high note. This achievement has definitely lifted our spirits, and we're optimistic about returning even more formidable for the second half.”

Hamilton's victory signifies that in the recent eight races, only Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri have accumulated more points than him.

Mercedes has made an impressive comeback, having not secured a position in the top three until the Canadian Grand Prix in June.

Mercedes has clinched victory in three out of the last four contests, with improvements made for the Monaco race apparently shifting their luck in a positive direction.

They began the Belgian Grand Prix at a disadvantage, opting to remove a recently introduced floor upgrade before the activities on Saturday commenced.

Discover More

Recent Updates

Recent Updates

Site Navigation

Crash.Net

©1999-2024 Crash Media Group

Copying or replicating the content, images, or illustrations fully or partially is strictly prohibited in any manner.