Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time World Champion, voiced his concerns after the Belgian Grand Prix about Mercedes’ car bouncing issues resurfacing at Spa-Francorchamps. Hamilton finished the race in fourth place and managed to secure the fastest lap on the penultimate lap.
While Mercedes showed solid race pace overall, Hamilton struggled to keep up with the leading Red Bull drivers and Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari. He admitted that he encountered rear-end issues and experienced significant bouncing with the car during the race weekend.
The porpoising phenomenon, which plagued Mercedes during the 2022 season, seemed to have been resolved for the most part this year. However, both Hamilton and his teammate George Russell reported the return of the problem, raising concerns about the car’s performance at high-speed circuits like Spa.
Despite the issues, Mercedes was still able to secure valuable points in the race, with Hamilton closing in on third-placed Fernando Alonso in the Drivers’ Championship.
Reflecting on the race, Hamilton described it as a “non-eventful” one, with the bouncing problem hindering his performance and making it difficult to keep up with the cars ahead. He noted that the gusty conditions on the track added to the challenges faced by the drivers during the race.
Hamilton’s ability to secure the fastest lap in the closing stages of the race was a positive note, but it wasn’t enough to significantly impact the final result. The battle for the championship remains intense, with Mercedes continuing to address their car’s performance issues in pursuit of more competitive races in the remaining rounds of the 2023 Formula 1 season.
