Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff says Lewis Hamilton’s “race of distress” got here as no shock to the workforce after taking an engine penalty.
After qualifying seventh in Baku, and two locations behind teammate George Russell, Mercedes elected to suit a brand new energy unit in Hamilton’s W15, forcing him to start out from the pitlane.
The seven-time world champion endured a irritating race, ending contained in the factors in ninth solely after Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz wiped one another out in an enormous penultimate lap crash.
“We knew it was going to be a race of distress as a result of it’s so tough to overhaul in Baku, and that’s what it was,” Mercedes workforce principal Wolff admitted.
“The second you come shut you overheat the tyres and then you definately go backwards, in order that’s what occurred to him.”
Mercedes knew they must introduce a brand new energy unit into Hamilton’s pool at some stage this season after the 39-year-old Briton suffered an engine failure in Australia earlier this yr.
Explaining the rationale behind the choice to take the penalty in Baku, Wolff stated: “I believe there are two tough philosophies and we mentioned it at size.
“One is that you simply simply swallow the tablet right here as a result of ranging from P7 we don’t know the place that will have gone, after which doing it in Austin.
“However we really feel that Austin is a chance in order that was the choice. Proper or flawed, I don’t know, nevertheless it was a detailed name.”
Talking to media together with Crash.web after the race, Hamilton revealed a part on his automotive had not been “accurately constructed”.
“It was the worst stability I’ve in all probability ever had – one of many worst balances,” he added. “Mainly I had a lot entrance finish however no rears.
“It’s not the best way you drive. I needed to yank the steering to interrupt the traction from the entrance, slide the entrance via each nook. It’s the weirdest manner I needed to drive.
“I knew that I wouldn’t be capable to overtake. It’s tough to comply with within the center, at the very least be shut on the finish. I don’t know why our tempo was so dangerous on our aspect. It occurs.”
