P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The Japanese Grand Prix was another difficult weekend for Mercedes, and in particular, Lewis Hamilton. However, the team has shed light on a problem in the race that affected his pace.
Lewis Hamilton finished in ninth place at the Japanese Grand Prix due to an issue with his front wing causing exaggerated understeer in his car. Despite qualifying in seventh, Hamilton struggled during the race and his team confirmed damage to his front wing end plate as a factor in his performance. The unexpected warm weather required Mercedes to adjust their strategy before the race began. Hamilton faced front-end limitations in the early stages of the race, leading to a challenging first stint. Despite a one-stop strategy on Hard tyres, Hamilton and George Russell had to switch to Medium tyres later in the race. Adjusting the front wing during a pit stop improved Hamilton’s car balance but did not significantly impact overall lap times.
