The biggest turnaround of the 2024 Formula 1 season has been the vast improvement for Mercedes. The German team were nowhere near the podium at the start of the season, but updates that came at the Canadian Grand Prix started a turnaround. They’re now in the summer break period with three Grand Prix wins in the last four races. But how have they managed this? Both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton explain.
Mercedes have overcome a “huge hurdle” in 2024
Since the new regulation changes came into F1 in 2022, Mercedes were the biggest team to lose out. The German team had been the dominating force since 2014, but one race win in 2022 and then no victories in 2023 showed how far off the pace they were. Their poor pace reared its ugly head once more to start the 2024 season, with neither Hamilton nor Russell on the podium in the first eight races.
However, the ninth race of the year in Montreal was where their season shifted gears thanks to the updates brought to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Russell was able to take pole position, and although he couldn’t hold on for the win, he earned Mercedes’ first podium of the season. Hamilton took his first trophy at the Spanish Grand Prix one race later. Then, after the race in Barcelona, a win for Russell at the Austrian Grand Prix, plus victories for Hamilton at Silverstone and Spa, mean the German constructor enters the summer break in the best possible form.
But how have they been able to bring such success after struggling earlier in the season? Russell gave this explanation, speaking to several media sources including GPblog at the Hungarian Grand Prix: “I think the biggest takeaway is we sort of stayed as one as a team. Everybody stuck together and there have been no major changes within the organisation of Mercedes, and you’ve got to give credit to Toto [Wolff] for believing in his people and just giving them a chance to do what they do best. I think that’s something that sets this team apart from many others, and so far, it seems like we’ve done a really great job at that, so we’re just hoping to continue on this journey.”
Seven-time world champion Hamilton also added his thoughts and was full of praise for his team for turning around the pace of the W15 and bringing it back to fight at the front of the grid: “They’ve turned a not-so-good car into a good car. That’s a huge hurdle!“
