Mercedes team boss, Toto Wolff, explains why Lewis Hamilton’s race in Austria didn’t go as planned. The British driver finished nearly half a minute behind teammate George Russell, who claimed his second victory. According to Wolff, Hamilton’s race was compromised due to floor damage incurred during the race.
While George Russell was celebrating his second career victory, the Austrian race was a disappointment for teammate Lewis Hamilton. The seven-time world champion ultimately finished fourth, crossing the finish line 23 seconds after his teammate.
Mercedes team boss, Toto Wolff, believes that his driver’s misfortune began early in the race. “It was one of his bad days,” Wolff reflects. “A pretty good start and then turn 1, in round 1, giving back the position was quite harsh.” Hamilton overtook Carlos Sainz early in the race, but gave back the position to avoid a time penalty for going too wide in turn 1.
Hamilton’s Struggles in the Race
An oversteer moment, where the Brit crossed the white line at the entrance of the pit lane, resulted in Hamilton facing a time penalty later on. However, this was not the end of the Mercedes driver’s misfortune. “In addition, we had bottom damage due to the kerbs. Most drivers had that, but the damage was enormous for him,” explains Wolff. According to the team boss, the Brit therefore lost “two and a half tenths”.
Hamilton’s Thoughts on Russell’s Performance
Hamilton is not entirely sure when he incurred the damage. “I think I suffered a bit of damage in turn 1 and then the floor fell apart. I don’t know exactly when I got the damage,” says the Mercedes driver, who is pleased that his teammate was able to score valuable points. “George is doing quite well as you can see. So that’s a huge boost for us. A big win for George and the team. This is a great result.”
