‘I told them’: Lewis Hamilton criticises Mercedes for ‘not listening’ over W14 problems

Mercedes could be in for another difficult year after a slow start to the season in Bahrain

Lewis Hamilton has claimed that Mercedes “didn’t listen” to his concerns about the team’s new W14 car.

Hopes for an improved campaign for the team have been dented by a slow start to the season, with George Russell and Hamilton off-the-pace throughout the season-opening weekend in Bahrain.

The seven-time world champion eventually came home fifth at the Sakhir Circuit, two places ahead of his teammate.

Mercedes dealt with major performance problems in 2022, with their W13 vehicle struggling particularly with ‘porpoising’, and it appears that off-season tweaks have not significantly altered the car’s competitiveness.

Hamilton has now suggested that the team ignored his concerns, calling for “accountability” and a collective effort to solve their problems.

“Last year, I told them the issues that are with the car,” Hamilton said to the BBC. “Like, I’ve driven so many cars in my life, so I know what a car needs, I know what a car doesn’t need.

“And I think it’s really about accountability, it’s about owning up and saying ‘yeah, you know what, we didn’t listen to you, it’s not where it needs to be and we’ve got to work’.

“We’ve got to look into the balance through the corners, look at all the weak points and just huddle up as a team, that’s what we do.

“We’re still multi World Champions you know, it’s just they haven’t got it right this time, they didn’t get it right last year, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get it right moving forwards.”

Hamilton concluded last season without a win for the first time in his F1 career, and eventually finished sixth in the Drivers’ Championship.

The 38-year-old continues to seek a record eighth world title that would take him clear of Michael Schumacher as the most successful driver in history.

A title challenge looks a distant prospect this year, though, with Red Bull again looking lead contenders after Max Verstappen’s cruise to victory in Bahrain.

“[Red Bull] have this championship sewn up,” Russell, Hamilton’s teammate, stated after the first race of the season. “I don’t think anybody is going to be fighting with them this year.

“They should win every race is my bet with the performance they’ve got.”

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