Lewis Hamilton 's hopes of winning a record-breaking eighth Formula 1 world championship in 2022 already look bleak, but a change to Mercedes ' design could help turn the ship around.
Despite a mixed pre-season, prospects appeared promising when Hamilton and George Russell finished a respective third and fourth at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. Those hopes suffered a setback when the former placed 10th in Saudi Arabia this past Sunday, however, with Hamilton failing to progress past a first qualifying session for the first time since November 2017.
That served as damning evidence that Mercedes' W13 sits some way off the pace being set by Ferrari —who currently have Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz sat in the top two—and reigning champion Max Verstappen. But German magazine Auto Motor und Sport has reported a new spin on the car's rear-wing design could play a hand in catapulting them back to the head of the field.
The W13 attracted widespread interest in pre-season, and the 'sidepod-less' design was dubbed revolutionary by some, with fears it may even not fit regulations. Nevertheless, the manufacturer has struggled more than most in tackling ground effect and the porpoising issue almost every team has faced in recent months.
Hamilton's new team-mate, Russell, said solving this conundrum 'would cure 99 per cent of our issues' after he finished fifth in Jeddah. Seven-time champion Hamilton was even more damning in his assessment after failing to qualify for Q2 and referred to the W13 as "undriveable" in that particular set-up.
The rear-wing alterations could be made in time for the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on April 10. While the focus on downforce promises to improve the porpoising problem, it's questionable as to whether the team can rectify their concerns completely in such a short space of time.
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Russell and Hamilton currently occupy fourth and fifth places in the drivers' standings, with six points separating the pair. However, Ferrari poster child Leclerc is already 23 points clear of his nearest Mercedes rival, while titleholder Verstappen has leapt into third following a dramatic win in Saudi Arabia.
The Silver Arrows were hoping Red Bull's woes would continue in Jeddah after Verstappen and Sergio Perez retired late in Bahrain. They appear to have turned a corner, however, with their RB18 widely believed to be the fastest specimen down the straights, while Ferrari's F1-75 lends itself better to quick cornering.
Mercedes are in need of change—and fast—if Hamilton is to revive a genuine chance at an eighth world title this year. They'll hope to inspire that transformation in Melbourne ahead of what will be the first Australian Grand Prix to be held since 2019.
