REVEALED: How Hamilton plans to track down Verstappen using the problematic W14 “masterpiece.”.

“Well, of course, we won’t ever get rid of the car.
Even though they aren’t the world’s fastest cars, these vehicles are still works of art, according to Hamilton, who spoke to RacingNews365.

“2000 people labored arduously to construct these items, and they will continue to be a significant part of our history and growth.

Since there are always positives, good and bad sides, we’re attempting to hold on to the positives.
However, there will be some parts that we try to change.

With the new direction we are taking, it is far too early to be optimistic about the car we will release in the following year because we are just starting that.

“But I have every confidence that the crew will steer it in the right direction, ” she added.

Since we’ve learned a lot over the past two years, it goes without saying that we’ll keep working on it if we haven’t figured it out by next year. But I’m hoping they have.
“.

Hamilton’s last statement, in which he concedes that Mercedes might not be able to compete with Red Bull in 2024, is telling.
In the event that it is not, 2025 will probably proceed in the same manner with stable regulations in place before the ’26 cycle is implemented. Mercedes may have to write off the first-ground effects era of the modern era if it does not get the W15 of 2024 right.

Mercedes faces fresh difficulties.

The challenge is accompanied by Aston Martin and McLaren’s revival.

Aston has deteriorated throughout the 2023 season, while McLaren is making a late push, but both have Mercedes power in the rear.
As the power unit package is otherwise competitive, this demonstrates that the issues Mercedes has are firmly Mercedes issues.

The team can’t give its full attention to the ’24 car while still competing with Ferrari for second place in the 2023 standings because the Scuderia is closing in on it.

Andrew Shovlin, the director of trackside engineering, demonstrates this by using qualifying as an example.

In order to prevent them from occurring the following year, Shovlin said, “We are working very hard to try and solve some of the problems on this car.”.

The car we had previously, in 2022, tended to be a very long way off in qualifying, but was generally a bit better in races.
“We have moved it forward.

“The performance was extremely, extremely track-specific.
So, in some areas, we’ve made progress. The main problem, however, is that we simply cannot move quickly enough.

“We need to find a strong performance to compete against Red Bull in particular.
The field, however, is also very close at this point.

“You look at some of the gaps we had a year ago, and you can be in a good qualifying position, you might be fourth or fifth on the grid, but you were eight, nine tenths off.
Now, if you do that, you wind up being moved to Q1 or Q2.

“There are many things we need to work on, and some of it will involve ensuring that we can instill in the drivers the confidence they currently lack in the vehicle.

It’s a large area.
We have a few exciting projects in the works that we hope will succeed.
“.

Given the events of Abu Dhabi 2021, Hamilton, a multiple-time champion, wants to leave the sport as the driver who wrested the title back from his successor as the “man-to-beat,” shatter the record he was denied at Yas Marina, and ride off into the sunset.

He won’t want to finish third in the championship, nearly 50 seconds behind Max Verstappen, as he did in Japan when the W14 was the fourth-best vehicle.

The clock is ticking because Old Father Time, the formidable foe who ultimately triumphs over even the best, will surpass Hamilton at some point.