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Mercedes Reveals Why Lewis Hamilton Was Running a Much Heavier W13 at Australian GP
Lewis Hamilton is having a tough season. He is facing issues while getting the most out of the challenging 2022 car, the W13. The latest Mercedes is experiencing a significant porpoising and also it’s overweight. However, the Silver Arrow driver added a few more weights to the car in the Australian GP.
Many fans spotted a light under the W13 during the Melbourne race. At first, many thought it might be a spark, which F1 cars produce. However, it was an optical sensor. The Brackley base attached a few extra weights to Hamilton’s car in the form of a sensor to gather information to work on their struggling form.
Visual confirmation that Lewis ran an optical ground sensor in both qualifying and the race, adding an estimated 1.5 kilos to a car that’s understood to be well above the FIA weight limit. #AustralianGP #F1 https://t.co/abNMWoMCtg pic.twitter.com/bNessJYmU4
— Bryson Sullivan (@NaturalParadigm) April 11, 2022
There is speculation that the sensor might have added an extra 1.5 kg to the W13. The Silver Arrow car already weighs much more than the minimum limit of 798 kg. Meaning that the seven-time world champion drove a heavier car than his teammate George Russell. Despite that, he pushed Russell and could have overtaken him with the heavier W13. But eventually, he had to satisfy with the P4 due to overheating concerns.
Did driving with a sensor help Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes?
Undoubtedly, the 2022 season is hard for the eight-time world champion constructor. They are having trouble even fighting in the mid-field, and getting to the front is a whole different task for them right now. The W13 has a lot of issues and the Brackley base needs to find answers to those problems. So, the team sent Hamilton with a sensor to gather more data in the race last week.
READ MORE: “20 Races Still To Go” – Lewis Hamilton Warns Ferrari & Red Bull of Potential Mercedes F1 Resurgence
The fans were eager to know whether adding extra weights to Hamilton’s car was fruitful or not. James Vowles, the Chief Strategist at Mercedes, answered yes and said, “We always need to have a good understanding and be data driven as an organization.
“And it was painful, because taking sensors off the car because the car is too heavy means we are losing out on information and what we concluded from the first two races is we had too many questions without answers as a result of doing so.”
Let’s chase some more podiums now!
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) April 11, 2022
“In a normal year, you wouldn’t even consider not having sensors on your car. You add what you need to, to make sure you understand what’s going on. But obviously, this isn’t a normal year, and the car is overweight.”
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Mercedes is positive about the information gathered from the Australian GP. Now, they have some clues to improve their struggling form for future races. Let’s see how the Silver Arrows perform in the upcoming Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
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