The 2023 Japanese Grand Prix was inarguably one of the most complicated race weekends for Mercedes, with both their drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, reminiscing the team’s dark past. While the British pair managed to stay out of trouble on the track, controversies weren’t too far off, as Russell’s strange obstruction nearly cost the Brackley outfit crucial points in the championship.
Several instances this season have proved Russell’s underlying desperation to beat his own teammate and seven-time world champion, Hamilton. Hence, the young Briton has always shown a bit of reluctance whenever Mercedes turned the spotlight towards their lead driver.
Mercedes ⚔️ Mercedes
😮#F1 #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/ZfZRj5niJ1
— Formula 1 (@F1) September 25, 2023
A similar incident unfolded last weekend at Suzuka when Russell’s race engineer had to work really hard to make the two drivers swap positions. The negotiations lasted for nearly three minutes, which gave Carlos Sainz the opportunity to hunt both the Mercedes drivers down. Sandwiched between his own teammate and the highly motivated Spaniard, Hamilton almost lost, not one, but two positions during the back end of the race.
Hence, Hamilton was visibly frustrated with Russell and publicly questioned his ‘strategy’ that nearly ruined the seven-time world champion’s race. While he chose to abide by Mercedes’ initial orders, Hamilton was visibly displeased with it before eventually breaking out of the train and leaving Russell behind for Sainz to attack.
Storm brews between Lewis Hamilton and George Russell after Japanese GP antics
Hamilton admitted that, by acknowledging Mercedes’ demand, he was off the pace by almost a second, subsequently leaving Sainz with a glorious opportunity to beat not one, but both the Mercedes drivers and inch closer to the Silver Arrows in the constructors’ championship.
#JapaneseGP 🇯🇵: Lewis Hamilton on being told to slow down to give Russell DRS: “I don’t think that was a good idea at all. When they suggested it to me, I knew that they had obviously thought of it from the last race, and it made no sense.”
“I needed to get as far clear ahead as…
— deni (@fiagirly) September 24, 2023
“I don’t think that was a good idea at all. When they suggested it to me, I knew that they had obviously thought of it from the last race, and it made no sense. I needed to get as far clear ahead as possible and I was on my way. I was around two seconds ahead and they asked me then to give George DRS, so I had to come off the gas down the straight to get him 0.8s behind,” he said following the race in Japan.
Overall, it is quite clear that Mercedes are happy to let the two drivers battle for authority, but, by the looks of it, the persistent fight within is also affecting their chances of securing P2 in the constructors’ standings. Hence, will Toto Wolff and Co. set things right ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix?
