German team boss Toto Wolff said the seven-time world champion "is in a very bad way" and called for urgency in solving the porpoising problem that plagues F1 2022 - but especially Hamilton and Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton complained of back pain after the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The kicks - especially on the long straight of the Baku circuit - bothered the seven-time champion and Mercedes too much this Sunday (12).
Concern about Hamilton's physical condition after the eighth race of the 2022 calendar is such that Mercedes boss Toto Wolff sees a possibility of the British driver missing next week's F1 race in Canada.
"Yes, definitely (when asked if there is a risk of Hamilton being out of action). I haven't seen him yet and I haven't talked to him after the race, but you can see that the problem is no longer muscular. It goes straight to the backbone and can have consequences," Wolff revealed.
"He is very bad. We just have to find a solution. At this point in the championship, I think he is the most affected (by the quiques) of all the drivers. But everyone, as I understand it from the drivers, has said that something needs to be done," he added. "I don't think this is only Lewis' problem. He is the most affected, but it also affects George (Russell) and the others. The solution might be to have some stand-by reserve, which we have every race anyway," the mercedist boss suggested.
Over the radio, Wolff had already asked Hamilton to forgive him for the "shitbox" that, in the boss's view, was the W13 in Baku. "Lewis, we know you look like shit to drive that, I'm sorry about your back. We'll fix it," said the Austrian after the final flag.
Formula One returns as early as next weekend, with the Canadian GP, the ninth round of the season. Hamilton has five days to recover before the free practice sessions. GRANDE PRÊMIO follows all the actionLIVE and in REAL TIME.