Buckle up, racing fans! The Belgian Grand Prix stirred quite a bit of drama between Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes team.
- Hamilton looked set to win but was outmaneuvered by his teammate George Russell’s smart one-stop strategy.
- Even after Russell got disqualified for an underweight car, Hamilton’s frustration was palpable.
- David Coulthard compared this to the McLaren team orders fiasco in Hungary, stirring even more debate.
- Despite the drama, Coulthard believes Hamilton is back at his best and looks ahead to his future with Ferrari.
Lewis Hamilton seemed all set to take the chequered flag at the Belgian Grand Prix, but frustration mounted as his teammate George Russell executed a clever one-stop strategy. Although Russell was later disqualified for driving an underweight Mercedes W15, Hamilton had already voiced his disappointment over not being given the same strategic option.
Speaking on the Formula For Success podcast, David Coulthard was straightforward in his opinion. He argued that Hamilton shouldn’t feel hard done by, as finding a faster way to the finish line is what racing is all about. Coulthard said, ‘I think that that’s the way it should be. If a team-mate and an engineer on the opposing car can find a better way to get to the end of the Grand Prix, I don’t think it should be after you just because you’re the lead driver.’
Coulthard then drew a parallel to the McLaren team drama in Hungary, where Lando Norris was ordered to give back P1 to Oscar Piastri after an undercut maneuver. This didn’t sit well with Coulthard, who believes racing should be merit-based rather than pre-determined by team orders.
Despite the disappointment, Hamilton’s performance has been stellar, with wins in two out of his last three races. Coulthard thinks Hamilton is back at his best, even as rumors circulate about his potential move to Ferrari in 2025. Coulthard stated, ‘He seems to be back at his brilliant best as he gets into a sort of countdown to leaving Mercedes.’
With Mercedes winning three of the last four races, Coulthard isn’t ruling out a title challenge for Hamilton post-summer break. He added, ‘If Mercedes keep going as they are, they could bring themselves back into challenging for both championships. It wouldn’t take much misfortune for Max [Verstappen] and suddenly he’s being attacked from all sides.’
All eyes are now on Hamilton as he navigates his future, with Mercedes looking strong and Ferrari waiting in the wings.
Source: Planetf1
