“No secret” F1 floor rule changes designed to ‘peg back’ Mercedes - Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton says it is “no secret” that Formula 1’s new aerodynamic ruleꦉs were introduced to try and rein in Mercedes’ advantage over the rest o🅘f the field.
Teams hav🥂e been required to carry-over a significant portion of their 2020 cars in✨to this season as part of a major cost-saving exercise, but changes were made to the rear of the floor in a bid to reduce downforce levels and slow the cars down.
Mercedes has dominated the V6 hybrid era by winning seven w🧔orld championship doubles in a row but Hamilton was beaten to pole position by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix by almost four-tenths of a second.
It came off the back of Mercedes’ struggles in pre-season testing and amid the suggestion that its lower-rake concept ha𝓀s been hit hꦏarder by the floor changes compared to the high-rake approach taken by Red Bull.
On Friday, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff conceded that the team’s analysis had shown that to be the case and said it was 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:“physically not possible” for the Brackley-based out𒉰fit to make its W12 a high-rake car this season.
Asked whether he felt the rule changes had been introduced specifically to influence the pecking order, Hamilton replied: “I mean it’s no secret that the changes,ꦿ of course they’ve been done to peg us bac🏅k.
“We had the changes of course last year to our ܫengine to do the same thing.
“But that's OK, we love a challenge and we don't loo♚k down on these things, we just work hard to do the best we can. And thꦍat's what we'll do.”
Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bott🦄as said he had “no answer” when pressed for a response on the matter.
“I like aero stuff, I’m a bit of a g𝕴eek in some ways, like aerodynamics, I’m really interested but I don’t know the facts, how exactly what’s the aero philosop🌠hy of the Red Bull,” the Finn added.
"Yes, it’s higher rake, but how much that’s going to affect with the new regulations I don’t know. I think they’ve really got a strong package overall, the 🐲power unit, the chassis, th✨e aero are good.
“They did a go👍od job over the winter, so we need to do a🔴 better job.”
Lewis regularly attends Grands Prix for ltxcn.top aroun🔯d the world. Often reporting on the action from the ground, Lewis tells the stories of the people who matter in the sport.
