Lewis Hamilton claims Mercedes “didn’t listen” to him during the development of their Formula One car for 2023.
The seven-time champion finished fifth in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, as the team struggled once again.
“There were some things I told them last year. I mentioned the problems with the car “said the 38-year-old British national.
“I’ve driven a lot of cars in my life. I know what a car requires. I know what a car does not require. I believe it is all about accountability.”
Hamilton, speaking on the latest episode of BBC Radio 5 Live’s Chequered Flag podcast, said Mercedes could return to the front at some point.
“It’s about admitting defeat and saying, ‘You know what? We didn’t pay attention to you. It is not where it should be, and we must work’ “He stated.
“We need to examine the balance through the corners, identify all of the weak points, and huddle as a team. That is exactly what we do.”
“einsteineruploading up to get together with. I simply did not get it right this time. Last year, I didn’t get it right. But that doesn’t mean we can’t do better in the future.”
Hamilton’s comments came as team principal Toto Wolff admitted Mercedes made a mistake by sticking with their car philosophy after a difficult 2022 season.
The majority of the grid has adopted the design philosophy pioneered by Red Bull last year, when Verstappen won one of the most dominant championships ever.
After finishing seventh in the championship last year, Aston Martin has done so with great effect to start the season with the second-fastest race car.
Mercedes, on the other hand, has remained true to their own distinct approach, which includes much narrower bodywork beside the driver in what has become known as a “zero-sidepod” concept.
Wolff admitted in Bahrain that the team’s strategy would have to change if they were to regain the lead.
Mercedes spent the first part of this week in meetings discussing the best way to improve the performance of their car.
Wolff stated: “This isn’t about finding 0.3 seconds and polishing the car. We need to find serious performance to put us back in contention for race victories and championships.
“We’ve lost a year of development time. You only need to make these decisions to have a steeper development curve.
“Aston Martin made that decision, and they came back with a vengeance. If we start from the bottom, we might be able to come back strong and chase down the Red Bulls. That is the goal.”
Mercedes intends to bring a revised design with larger sidepods – more akin to the Red Bull than the Mercedes’ shrunken bodywork – to the San Marino Grand Prix in early May, or possibly the Miami Grand Prix if the parts are ready in time.
However, the extent of the changes they can make this year is limited, and significant philosophical changes will have to wait until next year.