P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Lewis Hamilton asserts that Aston Martin’s slump midway through the 2023 Formula 1 season showcases why Mercedes can’t simply try
Aston Martin initially had a competitive car with the AMR23, thanks to their downwash sidepod solution. However, Ferrari and Mercedes surpassed them once they adopted a similar philosophy used by Red Bull. McLaren’s revised car also allowed them to overtake Aston Martin in the standings. Fernando Alonso faced issues with the upgrades, resulting in Q1 exits in Austin and Mexico. Mercedes will launch a new concept with their W15 car to address the limitations of their launch-spec package. Lewis Hamilton denies that they will replicate Red Bull’s car, stating that it is not as simple as copying. Mercedes aims to consistently improve and close the performance gap. Hamilton praised Red Bull’s 2023 car for its stability and ability to extract maximum performance. He believes Red Bull’s dominance allowed their drivers to pace themselves and preserve tires. In chasing Max Verstappen, Hamilton still felt Red Bull had an advantage.
