Lewis Hamilton has driven Mercedes’ new car for the 2023 Formula 1 season for the first time.
The seven-times world champion sampled the W14 at Silverstone, where the team is conducting a filming day, which allows them to complete 100 kilometres of running in the car.Hamilton’s team mate George Russell, who shook down the car yesterday, did the first half of the day’s running. Rain fell at the track during the day and the team began its running using full wet weather tyres.
Both drivers had already returned to the track when they conducted tyre testing for Pirelli at Jerez in Spain at the beginning of February. Hamilton said he felt in good condition after not “taking off too big a break” from his training over the winter.
“I got in the car, I did 160 something laps in Jerez, and I felt good,” he told media including RaceFans yesterday. “As always, after the first day of running the back of your neck is always a sore part, and then you just get used to it.
“I’m sure, still, after the first days that we’re running, your body is still getting accustomed to the forces, as the car should hopefully be quicker this year. Yeah, but just never just taking your eye off the ball, but still trying to also enjoy your time, to be present with the group that you’re with.”
Pictures: 2023 Mercedes F1 launch
This article will be updated
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Jere (@jerejj)
16th February 2023, 17:53
Mercedes have altered their button layout(s) to an extent while keeping the steering wheel shape design unchanged.
For example, the DRS button is now blue & the 2nd top-right, so this could be for either driver, as both have had yellow on the top-left.
Bullfrog (@bullfrog)
16th February 2023, 18:34
As long as the Brake Magic one’s out of reach…
Jere (@jerejj)
16th February 2023, 19:32
@bullfrog Ikr
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
16th February 2023, 18:31
You wont feel so good when Bono tells you that you are losing time to Max:)
Honestly, I hope that Merc are coming back this season to make it a fight.
I would like Ferrari to be in the fight as well, but I think that Ferrari have far more problems than just the car :(
James Neutron (@phillyspur)
16th February 2023, 21:38
I see there’s still no intelligent life in the comments section.
Brett Woods (@pertwee)
16th February 2023, 22:19
Sounds like Mercedes have a race car and not a trampoline this season. I expect they will be able to compete near the front.
The Dolphins
17th February 2023, 1:02
Typically spoken at the start and end of one’s tenure. Is Hamilton dropping hints?
Dom (@3dom)
17th February 2023, 1:40
People have been asking that same question for ages now. Some would have had us believe that he was gonna pack it in over a decade ago yet here we are…
He can’t race forever but still seems hungry so might as well not bother speculating and wait til he decides to say he’s stopping
The Dolphins
17th February 2023, 3:41
I have little doubt of two discussion points for the new contract: #1 status/getting the 8th championship & exit clause after the 8th
Wayne
17th February 2023, 7:42
While he ia chasing an 8th championship. Who’s to say he wnt continue even if he does win it. Racing is in his genes. He will stop when he chooses.
Woody (@woodyd91)
17th February 2023, 12:07
Hopefully, the car is closer this year, for the show. I don’t think Hamilton has really gotten over 21 yet, just as non of the other driver would have, it will take an 8th title to fully put that truly in the past, regardless of what Lewis and the team say.
Unfortunately, I just don’t see that happening this year, Ferrari can have a better car all they like but the inherent issues in their team will take time to fix, and strategy and “being Ferrari” will most likely stop them from winning a title.
Personally, I think, If all the top 3 teams’ cars were equal Max would still win the title for a simple reason, he has a compliant number 2 teammate, who will also come second, so Perez won’t be taking points from Max on the regular, both Hamilton & Russel and Leclerc and Sainz will spend the whole season taking points from each other and max will simply run away with the title as a result. I hope I’m wrong, and as a Hamilton fan I would like to see him win his 8th, but in the current generation of cars and how the teams are paired, if they are close on pace, i don’t think we can expect anything other than a Max 3rd title.
Not that it really matters who wins the title, as long as the racing is good.
The Dolphins
17th February 2023, 14:31
Spot on. This was the Schumacher-era Ferrari tactic and it worked a charm for them. Also why Daniel won’t get a chance in the car against Max.
G
17th February 2023, 15:21
I wouldn’t expect them to be the same or worse than last year but the question is, have they found the 0.5-0.7 sec from last year as well as whatever extra Ferrari and RedBull have found?
Fingers crossed they are all within a tenth or two, with a few other teams closing up behind.
I think the fight for best of the rest will have more of an impact on the top teams if they close up, preventing them from gapping and pitting with ease.
Wayne
19th February 2023, 16:06
I disagree. I suspect Perez will not play no. 2 driver this year. Unless he is forced to. He really needs to up his game. He needs to realize that being a great number 2 to a potential world champion is worse than the person coming home in the back. Because he gave up the very reason why he is in the car in the 1st place. And f1 and any race championship has no place for drivers who settle for anything less than 1st. He needs to drive for himself.
Woody (@woodyd91)
21st February 2023, 10:48
Perez is smart, he knows that it’s extremely unlikely he is going to beat Max to a championship across a season, partly because max is just faster and partly because of team backing of Max, so what the next best thing he can do? Win some races, if he is continually fighting Max, taking points off each other and helping Merc & Ferrari in doing so, he knows he will be out of the red bull and back in a mid-field team before his contract even runs out. Red Bull dont want 2 drivers like that, they never have. Think Vettel/Webber, Vettel/Ric, Ric/Max, its either compliance or leave. They have a clear No.1 and won’t risk anything disrupting that. Whoever is in the second car has to accept that, Perez is smart enough I think to understand that, if he wants to stay at least.
The only time this is going to be different is if he comes into this season, puts it on pole and drives off to the victory consistently, then the team will have to back him, more likely they will continue to form the team and car around Max though.
Mayrton
23rd February 2023, 11:05
Perez is the no. 2 driver, he does not need to play it. Upping his game is something that has already failed in the past, so it won’t happen now either. Being a great nr 2 driver to a world champion is his only option in F1. The alternative is sitting at home on the couch.