F1 News
Date:
22/May/2013
On pole for the past three grands prix, Mercedes currently
has the fastest car on the F1 grid.
But they can’t make the tyres perform in the race.
The problems were perfectly illustrated last time in Catalunya,
where a one-two in qualifying turned into a demoralising sixth (Nico Rosberg)
and twelfth (Lewis Hamilton) in the race.
“It’s definitely not easily solved,” said Hamilton. “We’re
working as hard as we can to assess and understand where we went wrong: tyre
pressures, temperatures and all of those kind of things.
“I don’t think it’s going to be as bad - hopefully - moving
forward. It’s definitely something we’re trying to improve on. Hopefully we
won’t have as many bad races as we did the last one.”
This weekend at the glamorous Monaco Grand Prix could play
into their hands.
As well as its strong run of 2013 qualifying form, Mercedes
would have started last year’s Monaco race from pole had Michael Schumacher not
been penalised.
Assuming their one-lap pace continues, the Silver Arrows
should start at or near the front.
And, unlike previous events, the tight confines of the
legendary street circuit mean even if Mercedes suffer in the race they have a
fighting chance of hanging on until the next pit stop.
“We have a good opportunity this weekend but you never know
what the others are capable of,” said Hamilton, winner at Monaco for McLaren in
2008.
“Last year Mercedes was quite competitive here. Obviously
our car is better this year so we should still be competitive this year.
“But the Ferraris and the Lotuses and the Red Bulls are
massively competitive as well. So, we just have to wait and see.
“Overtaking is very, very difficult here as I proved a
couple of years ago. So if you’re able to get out in front, it’s more than
likely if you’re able to manage your tyres that you can stay there.
Definitely.”
They won’t happen in time for Monaco, but two very different
changes should also boost Mercedes in future events.
The first will be a controversial change to the
specification of the Pirelli tyres for the following Canadian round.
“It can’t be any worse for us, that’s for sure,” said
Hamilton. “I think that if they do make some changes they will help everyone
really and will definitely change the way the races will go, compared to how
they have gone.”
The second is the imminent arrival of Paddy Lowe, released
early by McLaren to start his new role as executive technical director at
Mercedes F1.
“I’ve had great experience of Paddy over the last five or
six years. He’s obviously a great person and massively intelligent and will be
a great asset for the team, so I’m really looking forward to working with him,”
said Hamilton.
Hamilton, who took back-to-back podiums in Malaysia and
China, is fourth in the World Championship, 39 points from Red Bull’s Sebastian
Vettel.
Team-mate Rosberg is just ninth in the standings after two
non-scores from the opening five rounds.
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