The ten positions lost by Hamilton on the grid in the F1 Turkish GP do not seem to put an end to Mercedes doubts. Wolff: “We understand the nature of the problems, but we may need to use a fifth unit”
It was the protagonist of the weekend of the F1 Turkish GP, Lewis Hamilton. The Mercedes champion set the pace right from free practice and was the fastest also in qualifying, even though he had to give pole position to his teammate Valtteri Bottas due to the replacement of the internal combustion engine which forced him to take eleventh place. The bitter conclusion, with a fifth place finish after the controversial strategic attempt not to change the intermediate tires mounted at the start, failed to divert attention from the great theme of the weekend: the renewed competitiveness of the W12, which seems to have overtaken again. in performance the Red Bull. However, Toto Wolff seems to have very different thoughts, because the penalty, taken on the Istanbul grid, may not be the last of the season …
mercedes engine, cross and delight
–
At Mercedes there is a reliability problem linked to the component that the FIA calls with the acronym “Ice”, the internal combustion engine that Hamilton replaced last weekend. The fresh unit has reinvigorated the performances of the reigning champions, sometimes dominant in Turkey, but has not completely cleared the field of apprehension for a possible future malfunction. On the other hand, just two weeks ago, in Sochi, it was Bottas who had to mount even the fifth Ice of the season, serving a penalty on the grid in the race following that of Monza, in which he had already started from the bottom for having unmarked the fourth power unit of the year (by regulation only three can be used). Thus, while the Red Bull leaders argue and point the finger at the suspected extra power of the rival engine, the men of Stuttgart are not sleeping soundly.
wolff and doubtful reliability
–
“The sanction – explained the Mercedes boss, Toto Wolff, to the British of Sky Sports – we could not avoid it. There was some internal combustion engine data that didn’t bode well and we thought a retirement, at this point in the championship, would kill our chances. Over the course of the season we have had some small problems and we have not always been able to understand where they come from or how much performance has potentially caused us to lose. With a new unit, we now believe we can go a little further. From time to time, it can happen that there are problems with raw materials and it must be taken into account that sometimes a lot is defective. However, we think we have understood the root of these problems ”. Nonetheless, the Austrian manager does not rule out other penalties: “Usually, a fourth Ice should hold out until the end, but there may also come a time when it might be worth fitting a fresh component, in case it is at risk. We will evaluate the situation as we go along ”.
October 15, 2021 (change October 15, 2021 | 14:34)
© REPRODUCTION RESERVED
.