Lewis Hamilton’s attempt to catch Lando Norris in the final laps of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as the McLaren proved too quick for the Mercedes.
The huge superiority of the MCL38 in the high-speed corners at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit proved too much for the Mercedes.Earlier in the race Hamilton was able to resist the attacks of Oscar Piastri in the other McLaren. But passing one of the orange cars proved much trickier and Hamilton drilled home the message that Mercedes must address their performance deficit in high-speed corners.
Here’s how he saw his race.
Hamilton’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix messages
The Mercedes drivers shared the fourth row of the grid and Hamilton pursued team mate George Russell after the start. But when the Safety Car was deployed early Mercedes chose to split their drivers’ strategies.
McLaren, who had both their cars ahead of Mercedes, did likewise. Piastri pitted from fourth while Norris stayed out. Russell, who was told to do the “opposite” to Norris, came in.
Hamilton continued on his original set of tyres. As almost all the other drivers had pitted for fresh rubber, he realised that left him at a disadvantage.
| Lap: 7/50 HAM: 2’08.128 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | How was our pace compared to others? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Norris, yeah, it’s pretty good. Maybe a tenth down. He’s gaining in the high speed, but we’re gaining on the straights to him. Maybe a Norris’ deg looks a little bit worse. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Am I staying out? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Affirm, out, staying out. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 8/50 HAM: 2’53.631 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | That’s a big disadvantage that I have to. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Yeah, we’re just going to think about the long game, Lewis. Do something different. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Okay. Take me through a little bit where we have… | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Lewis, HPP 11 position four. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | So it’s four tenths we’re losing, mainly. So that’s from turn four to turn 10, not dissimilar to qualifying. Everywhere else gaining, in the corners and a bit of straight-line. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Is that managing? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Difficult to know how much others are managing. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Is that compare to George? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | To George it’s a pretty flat. There’s nothing really to be protecting. Those references were Alonso and Norris. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
By lap 16 Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc had passed Hamilton. He tried to stay with his rivals, who were on fresher rubber, but soon dropped out of DRS range.
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| Lap: 16/50 HAM: 1’34.435 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | They’re killing us in the high-speed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Yeah copy Lewis, GPS agrees. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 19/50 HAM: 1’34.524 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Only losses, Lewis, the high-speed and that time straight line with DRS. You are strong turns one, two. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 20/50 HAM: 1’34.225 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Lewis just think about a little bit later on the overtake. Pace looks good. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hamilton repelled Piastri’s early attacks, but when the McLaren driver got within range on lap 34 the Mercedes driver warned his team the position was gone. However Piastri slithered off the track at turn one and Hamilton reclaimed the position, which he held until he made his belated pit stop.
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| Lap: 26/50 HAM: 1’33.518 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | How’s this pace with this tyre? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | So matching Norris’ time, same age tyre. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 34/50 HAM: 1’33.693 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Rears are getting hot. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Gap to Piastri at 0.4. Wear looks okay, so no problem there. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Yeah, he’s got me this time. Rears are dropping off. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 35/50 HAM: 1’33.742 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Give us a tyre update, you can do it verbally. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | It’s okay. They’re certainly dropping off. Huge oversteer. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The team originally planned to switch Hamilton to the hard tyre compound, but he went far enough into the race on his medium rubber than they decided a switch to softs was possible.
When he emerged from the pits he was concerned Bearman was too far ahead to catch. But when Norris lost time during his pit stop Mercedes spied an opportunity to attack.
| Lap: 36/50 HAM: 1’35.967 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | So Lewis it will be 14 laps remaining when you cross the line. We are thinking of going soft to the end, let us know what you think. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Yeah I agree. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Thank you mate. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | I want to take wing out. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Yeah copy Lewis. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Okay Lewis so box, box. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 37/50 HAM: 1’49.485 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | So we’ve got 14 laps Lewis, we’re going to hunt them down, we just don’t need to kill the tyres doing it. So out-lap normal, you’ve got 14 laps, let’s just make it the quickest stint possible. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Where have I dropped to? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | P9 it’s eight seconds to Bearman. Bearman doing 33.0, 29-lap hard | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Too damn far, mate | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Big tyre offset. Just remember fastest stint, 14 laps. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Norris in pits, slow stop for him. We reckon he will still be ahead, Norris. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
While Hamilton enjoyed the quickest complete pit stop of the race, Norris lost over two seconds compared to him, and rejoined the track closer to Hamilton than McLaren intended. However through the first sector of the lap, which includes several high-speed corners, Hamilton was dismayed by how quickly the McLaren pulled away.
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| Lap: 38/50 HAM: 1’31.746 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | So gap ahead 1.5. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 39/50 HAM: 1’32.315 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | That’s impressive through the high-speed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | You’re faster everywhere else Lewis, particularly that turn one and final corner. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | So for info Bearman’s doing a 32.7. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 40/50 HAM: 1’32.370 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Mate he’s so fast. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Okay copy. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | You’ve got pace elsewhere Lewis, this could come at the end. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The pair initially closed on Bearman, but only got within two-and-a-half seconds before dropping back. The lost pit stop time undoubtedly cost Norris dearly, and falling into the clutches of Hamilton ultimately cost both of them more time before their soft tyres began to fade in the final laps.
| Lap: 41/50 HAM: 1’32.201 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Is anyone dropping off? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Not really, Lewis, the hard looks pretty resilient. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | Well it’s this position we’re going to end up. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | We’ve still got an opportunity with Bearman. It just depends if Norris can cut through him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 49/50 HAM: 1’32.615 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hamilton | What position am I? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Currently P9. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | One more lap. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chequered flag | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bonnington | Well done Lewis. P9. Yeah, it was a really great drive there. We had to roll dice but it didn’t come our way. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
As Hamilton predicted once he left the pits, he finished the race in ninth. “There is potential within this car, but we still need to add a good amount of performance,” he said afterwards.
“The car was pretty good in the medium and low-speed corners, but we were losing out in the high-speed. These next few races will be tricky but we will be putting in a great deal of effort to improve as much as we can.”
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Team radio transcripts
- ‘That’s not how I race’: Was Sainz right to feel aggrieved by Albon after Miami GP?
- Leclerc also criticised Ferrari over “stupid” strategy on radio
- “If he passes now that’s illegal”: Unheard radio from Verstappen vs the McLarens
- “Are the others struggling?” How Hamilton fell half a minute behind Leclerc in Jeddah
- ‘You’re the effective leader’: Full radio from Piastri and Verstappen’s Jeddah tussle
2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
- Bearman’s 2024 Jeddah debut performance makes him ‘feel like an absolute idiot’
- Vowles being patient with Sargeant but expects to see “progress”
- “So I’ve got nothing to worry about?” – The best unheard team radio from Jeddah
- “Shock” of poor start to season showed need for change at Alpine – Famin
- “My tyres are dying”: Stroll’s short-lived struggle until he hit the wall
BasCB (@bascb)
13th March 2024, 12:40
Thanks for these deep dives into some of the more interesting parts of the race!
bosyber (@bosyber)
13th March 2024, 12:56
Indeed, great way to show how one can find interest and tension in a lot of the individual races being run during an event that on the surface might look like not much happening. The Haas duo’s team interplay was another such example, it’s great to have, thanks.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
13th March 2024, 13:10
@bascb @bosyber Glad you enjoy them!
F1statsfan (@f1statsfan)
13th March 2024, 13:00
His race engineer seems to be more in the role of motivator than race engineer desperately trying to have his driver push all the way to the finish line.
Colin
13th March 2024, 13:03
George didn’t seem to have any trouble staying in front of Lando.
Anuj
13th March 2024, 13:15
Lol. You caught him
MichaelN
13th March 2024, 14:02
It’s impressive that men like Bonnington are able to interpret all the dramatic claims by the drivers. It’s never just a little less grip, but ‘no grip’, ‘huge oversteer’ etc. Easy to understand given the physical conditions the drivers are in, but perhaps not as useful to the engineers.
Anyway, it looks like Mercedes and McLaren are going to be seeing a lot of each other this season. Hopefully we’ll have some good battles on tracks more suited to it.
FlyingLap (@flyinglapp)
13th March 2024, 15:51
Hamilton and Bonnington have worked together for years and understand exactly what each other means. Let’s hope that Lewis has arranged for Bonno to join him at Ferrari.
AlanD
13th March 2024, 17:55
I read somehwere a few weeks back that Hamilton’s contract with Mercedes contained an anti-poaching clause which means he couldn’t take Bonno with him. However, I couldn’t understand how that could be enforceable. If Ferrari offered Bonno a job and Bonno wanted to accept, I don’t see how Merc’s contract with a different employee (i.e. Hamilton) could stop it happening.
MichaelN
14th March 2024, 13:22
Absolutely, that’s the kind of relationship that is almost impossible to replicate, especially this late in to a driver’s career.
That said, it would be fun to combine Hamilton’s sometimes dramatic radio chats with Ferrari’s notoriously oblivious race engineers. Comedy guaranteed.
The Dolphins
14th March 2024, 14:38
A driver can (and does) drive through the “just a little less grip” or over/understeer so when they are experiencing more and more then it’s understandable when they communicate in superlatives
Edvaldo
13th March 2024, 16:15
I expected more from Mclaren after they finished last year with the 2nd strongest package, but maybe they didn’t have the knowledge to improve from that.
Ferrari on the other hand did a very good job, the car is easily the best of the rest i if Sainz had raced his last event, they would very likely be 3rd and 4th again.
And Mercedes…these guys are back to where they were in 10 to 12.
DaveW (@dmw)
14th March 2024, 17:20
If Bonno had only texted I would have said not to take wing out on the last stint. That made sense to avoid end of stint oversteer but they were getting killed in the high speed and had fresh soft tires that would go to the end. Why take out the wing? Yes my track side engineering services specialize in hindsight.
Scotty (@rockonscotty)
14th March 2024, 17:23
Can the drivers communicate through the car to the pit wall? Bono said Lewis could verbally give a tire update. I didn’t think the drivers could send messages using the controls.
earthling (@34rthl1ng)
17th March 2024, 17:54
Compared to what? You?