In Melbourne, Lewis Hamilton revealed one of the problems with the 2023 Mercedes car: the landing of the cockpit is offset from the front wheels, making it more difficult for the driver to predict the W14’s behavior on track. Jenson Button, who played three seasons with Hamilton in the same team, explained why the seven-time world champion does not see this setup behind the wheel.
Jenson Button «Lewis doesn’t feel the car – this is the main problem. He presses the gas and brake pedals quite aggressively, works a lot with the steering wheel, so it is important for him to feel the behavior of the rear of the car with his hands. With this landing he doesn’t feel it, so he has no confidence and can’t attack with full force.
Modern cars are hard to drive, especially in qualifying when you have to fly on the edge. And if Lewis doesn’t have confidence, he can’t get the most out of the car.”
When asked why George Russell doesn’t complain about such problems, Button suggested: “I think he has a different style of flying. I haven’t seen George’s telemetry, but I know Lewis’s style very well, having studied his telemetry well, and I was always amazed how much his style differs from mine.
If George steers more calmly, with more control over the car through the brake and accelerator pedals, he is less affected by a change in cockpit position.
Source: F1 News
I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.
