Lewis Hamilton is determined to let Mercedes overtake Ferrari in the Constructors’ Championship to help 1,200 team members cope with the UK’s cost of living crisis.
Mercedes enters the penultimate round of the season in Brazil this weekend
40 points behind second-placed Ferrari, with Max Verstappen’s all-conquering Red Bull team crowned champions.
If Hamilton and team-mate George Russell can finish second
Though, Mercedes staff at the team’s headquarters in Brackley, Northamptonshire, will get a bigger year-end bonus.
Due to the nature of Formula 1 rules
If Hamilton’s team usurped Ferrari, they would lose 5% of their wind tunnel testing time developing their car.
But at Interlagos
The seven-time world champion said: « I know how important second place is to everyone on the team and the factory in terms of bonuses, especially at a time when energy prices and the cost of living are soaring. Britain was shot.
« I can see how impactful and important it is to them
But also see how hard we have to dig to catch up. I know it’s going to be an amazing feeling..
« If I’m being realistic
Ferrari has a great car – I don’t know what happened last weekend in Mexico – but they’ll probably be leading here again.
« So it’s not going to be easy to beat them
But if we did, it would be an amazing comeback and it also managed to carry that narrative into winter because we know we mean it. »
Earlier this week
Hamilton became an honorary citizen of Brazil. The 37-year-old won his first world title here in 2008 and played the game of his life last season, fighting back on the pitch and making his third at Interlagos Defeat Verstappen to win.
A year after this remarkable feat
However, Hamilton is without a win in 2022 and could lose his unique record of winning one race in every season he plays.
But the Briton
Who is fifth in the standings, 15 points behind Russell, continued: « We’ve been my winners this year. From the numbers, the outside world doesn’t see it that way. But I think everyone in the team is Individuals are winners.
« They dug so deep
They went all out, nobody gave up, everybody got over their emotions of not being a frontrunner.
« We’ve had a lot of experiences over the course of the year and it feels like I’ve won and finished fifth, fourth or on the podium.
« There are a lot of these scenarios where the journey is the most important part. For me, it’s more powerful than winning every game. »
💡 Source and reference
« independent.co.uk » by Lewis Hamilton wants Mercedes to make a « magic comeback » in the constructors’ championship.