P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes 2024 F1 car is "amazing" and not an "evil sister" – Hamilton
Mercedes introduced the size-zero sidepod car concept for the return of ground effect in 2022 but only secured one grand prix victory that season due to running the car too low. They adjusted the platform for 2023, making significant bodywork design changes from Monaco to improve aerodynamic performance. The team has switched to a more traditional downwash sidepod architecture for this year’s challenger, aiming to address rear-end instability issues. Despite currently being fourth in the points standings behind Ferrari and McLaren, Lewis Hamilton remains optimistic about the car’s potential, emphasizing the need to maximize its performance through better setup. Both Hamilton and his teammate George Russell acknowledge the team’s struggles early in the season but believe there is room for improvement by testing different setups to extract more performance. Team Mercedes is focused on understanding and maximizing the potential of their car as they aim for a stronger showing in the upcoming Australian Grand Prix.
