Mercedes’ technical director James Allison has revealed that Lewis Hamilton and George Russell have largely been resigned to ‘observational’ roles this winter as the team at the Brackley factory continues to work away at their 2024 challenger – the W15.
The eight-time constructor champions are facing a make-or-break season as they look to cut the deficit to title holders Red Bull. Fail to make up the necessary ground this winter and Hamilton will likely be looking at another new deal taking him into the 2026 regulation period to have a chance of fighting for his record-breaking eighth Drivers’ Championship crown.
Unfortunately for Hamilton, the odds seem stacked against him and his team this winter. Mercedes did secure second place in last season’s standings thanks to Russell’s heroics at the season finale in Abu Dhabi, but the Silver Arrows ended the campaign with fewer than half of Red Bull’s astounding 860-point haul.
One factor that will be giving Hamilton hope, however, is the team’s change in design philosophy. After doubling down on their ill-fated ‘zeropod’ concept against the seven-time champion’s recommendations last winter, the 2024 challenger is expected to be much better tailored to his liking.
Speaking to Motorsport.com about the role Hamilton and Russell are playing in the development of the W15, Allison explained: “Both drivers, their role over the winter is very largely to look after their physical condition.
“[To] make sure that they’re mentally prepared, and just stay in touch with us about our successes and failures as we are going through the hoops of getting the car specified, built, tested, and ready for them. It isn’t really a part of the year where they can have other than an observing role with what we’re doing.”
While the two drivers have been largely unable to influence the development path of the W15, there are still signs that Hamilton and Russell should be optimistic heading into the 2024 campaign.
Speaking to The Telegraph about the feedback from simulator driver Anthony Davidson, team principal Toto Wolff explained: “He was driving Melbourne [in the simulator], and he said: ‘The car feels like a car for the first time in two years…’ Obviously I would love this to correlate to the track but we’ve seen in the last two years that this was not always the case.”
