Everything Trackside

It has been an extremely positive weekend so far for the Mercedes team at Silverstone as they continue to turn things around in 2024.

The early season struggles feel like they are a lifetime ago.

Fresh off the back of a 1-2 in a fantastic qualifying around Silverstone only one question remains.

Can Lewis Hamilton still cut it with the best in the sport?

[adrotate banner=”10″]

_{Get 10% off all official F1 Merch at TheRaceWorks.com using code ‘EF1‘ at checkout.}

Are the cracks emerging?

I don’t want to go after Hamilton here. It was a good session for the 7-time champion, and he was bested by a driver looking in peak condition.

Russell finished the day 0.171s clear of Hamilton, while Lando Norris followed in third for McLaren to complete an all-British top three.

For the first time ever at Silverstone, and the first time anywhere in F1 since 1968, the front three positions on the grid will be taken up by a trio of British drivers.

However, it follows a trend this season, in which Russell has comfortably outperformed his illustrious teammate.

Too often we have heard the complaints about the car during and after the race. Suggestions that the drivers are on different setups to find the sweet spot.

Around Silverstone though – where Hamilton has won a record eight times – I expected him to find that little bit extra.

That wasn’t the case though, and it adds fuel to the fire that he may not be up to the Ferrari challenge in 2024.

There’s no doubting he is still a fantastic driver. But as we see the powers of one sporting great fade in the form of Cristiano Ronaldo, it does make you wonder.

Are we witnessing the same with Hamilton?

There has been a feeling since the 2022 season that Russell was starting to gain the upper hand at Mercedes.

He looked more comfortable when the car was erratic, he took the only win of that season.

Overall, he just looked like he was the more complete driver. A strange feeling for us fans considering Hamilton’s many years at Mercedes.

You can only put that down to experimentation before it starts to become tiresome.

Yes, the team have had to try new things, but Russell has not been excluded from that.

As he’s often mentioned post-race, the cars are not that different.

A title winning car

Ultimately, we have been robbed of a fantastic intra-team battle by Mercedes lack of pace.

The team have not challenged for the title since that scintillating 2021 season.

This means that while Russell has largely outperformed his teammate, it has at times gone unnoticed.

This means that both drivers are left to pick up the crumbs. Something that Russell is looking like the best man to do.

Russell’s win at last weekend’s Austrian GP is a prime example.

Hamilton claimed damage was at fault for his slow pace in comparison to his teammate.

I can’t question this in the slightest. But it was once again Russell who was there to pick up the pieces and eventually, take another win to add to his record.

He is making a habit of being in the right place at the right time. Something we used to see Lewis do a lot more.

Ferrari’s struggles

We must mention Hamilton’s imminent move to Ferrari and how this impacts Mercedes.

The British driver is moving to greener pastures next season, and many thought he’d made the right choice.

However, the narrative has shifted in recent weeks.

Mercedes now seem like McLaren and Red Bull’s challengers while Ferrari seem to be floundering.

A 7th for Carlos Sainz – who Hamilton is replacing – won’t fill him with confidence in his new team.

Leclerc fared even worse not even making it into Q3.

It will hurt Hamilton if he has blown his last chance to claim that elusive 8th title in 2025.

If Mercedes continue their upward trajectory, it could be them that is in the race.

While no decision has been made on the second driver, the team should feel relaxed that they have their number 1 for years to come.

George Russell is living up to his potential and few of us are surprised about that. He is a superb driver and seems like a lovely person.

It means that, for Hamilton, days like tomorrow may not come around again. A chance to win at his home Grand Prix.

To do that he’ll have to step up and show that he can still lead a team and more importantly, still dominate his teammate.

The jury is out on Lewis at the moment. Only a win at Silverstone will truly silence the critics.

[adrotate banner=”10″]

_{Get 10% off all official F1 Merch at TheRaceWorks.com using code ‘EF1‘ at checkout.}