Mercedes chief strategist James Vowles admitted today in a post-race video from Azerbaijan that the team went "too far" with its car setup for the Baku race. And the setup for Hamilton compounded the team's and driver's problems.
Mercedes chief strategist James Vowles admitted today in a post-race video from Azerbaijan that the team went "too far" with its car setup for the Baku race. And the setup for Hamilton compounded the team's and driver's problems.
In the video, Vowles said, "This time we have taken the package and our drivers too far. We are putting them in significant discomfort and we simply cannot do that again."
"Our pilots are not the only ones suffering, you see comments from several pilots who are equally in discomfort and pain. And we have a responsibility now to make sure that doesn't continue."
Vowles further explained why Lewis Hamilton reported that his seat "went cold" during the Azerbaijan GP.
The 37-year-old driver had his team worried in the middle of the race when he said he felt his seat suddenly get cold.
The team checked the car but could not find an answer to this, a problem that remained unresolved until the team returned to their Brackley base on Tuesday.
However, it wasn't a problem with the car, Vowles said, with Hamilton experiencing a cold sensation in his lower back due to the clicking he was enduring.
"It's a good question. I didn't have an answer until I spent a few minutes with Lewis earlier to really ask him," Vowles said, when asked about Hamilton's strange radio message.
"What happened is: nothing really changed in the car, but after the amount of hits on his back, he fundamentally had a numbness that set in and the cold was a response to that."
"There was nothing cold in the car, it was just a response to the amount of resistance and pain he went through in the race."
Hamilton will race in Canada despite back agony
Hamilton has already confirmed that he will race in Montreal, despite struggling to get out of the car with some urgency after the race at the Baku circuit.
The team tested an experimental part on its W13 in Azerbaijan, which was blamed for the intense pitting. The team said it will not put as much pressure on the seven-time world champion in Canada.
"I'm pleased to report that Lewis is here this morning, I spent a few hours with him and he's fine, he'll be back in the car in Montreal," he continued