Lewis Hamilton remains upbeat about Mercedes’ prospects despite enduring his “worst start” to a Formula 1 season in 2024 after retiring from the Australian Grand Prix.
The German marque has accrued its lowest points return from the first three rounds of a campaign since 2012 as both cars failed to see the chequered flag in Melbourne.
Hamilton, who had been classified seventh and ninth in the opening two races, qualified a disappointing 11th at Albert Park, prompting him to start on the Soft compound.
Although he would end up detouring to the pits for a stop at the end of his eighth lap, the Briton has backed Mercedes’ decision to go aggressive in an attempt to progress.
“Yeah, we started on the Softs because we didn’t get to Q3 and it was fine,” he reviewed.
“I undercut some of the drivers, the pace was OK, nothing special, but I was catching and slightly quicker than the cars ahead and then obviously the engine failed.”
However, Hamilton had fallen behind Red Bull’s Sergio Perez before he slowed to a halt with an engine problem, which he revealed came as an unexpected stoppage.
Asked if he received a warning about the power unit failing, Hamilton replied: “No.”
Hamilton, who will move to Ferrari next season, denied that he was low about Mercedes’ current predicament and cited that he still relishes working with the team.
“Surprisingly I feel pretty good,” Hamilton reflected. “I think I’m trying to keep things in perspective, you know?
“It could be so much worse, I’m really grateful and have really enjoyed my time here in Australia.
“I’m still enjoying working with the team, of course I’d love to be fighting for wins and finishing races.
“It’s never a great feeling when you come all this way and don’t even see half of the race, but what I know is that we will bounce back and will get there, we just have to chip away at it.”
Mercedes had entered 2024 positive amid the expectation that its revamped W15 car had managed to eradicate the “spiteful” rear end traits of its flawed predecessor.
Hamilton admits the squad’s hopes it had overcome its previous troubles under the latest ground effect regulations has been “challenging” to accept for the engineers.
“I think it’s tough on the spirit for everyone in the team when so much work has gone on through the winter for everybody and you come in excited, motivated and driven and then you’re with the mindset that you are going to be fighting for wins and then obviously that’s not the case,” he expressed.
“Then you are like, OK second or third, but it’s not the case and it cascades a bit further down. You just go through the motions and it’s challenging.
“But I continue to be inspired by the people I have worked with, they continue to put in the effort and show up and that’s the most important thing.”
Hamilton has bemoaned the unpredictable handling of his W15 through the nascent stages this term, which has seen him struggle to be consistent through a weekend.
Asked about his fluctuating outlook on the car’s potential, Hamilton interrupted: “Yeah, well this is the worst start to a season I have ever had.”
Pressed on whether it was worse than the previous two seasons, Hamilton branded it “even worse” than when McLaren went from title winners to backmarkers in 2009.
Hamilton has credited his more relaxed approach to dealing with Mercedes’ latest setback to the experience that has taught him to cope with tough times in the sport.
When that was proposed to him, he added: “Absolutely, absolutely. That’s exactly it.
“I think it’s easy to be caught up in the moment and focus on this one thing, but the bigger picture is definitely the focus at the moment and also just realising that you can’t control everything. You can get frustrated because you don’t have control, but if you can just let go and be in the moment.
“It’s not great, I’m not happy, but I’m going to have a great day tomorrow and train hard this week.”
