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Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes could spring a surprise at the 2022 F1 French GP, according to former driver-turned-analyst Damon Hill.
Hamilton and the Silver Arrows have not been as dominant as their reputation this season and are without a win 11 races into the current campaign. The Silver Arrows have been left behind by the likes of Red Bull and Ferrari as they try to find solutions to their problems brought about by the 2022 F1 regulatory changes.
They have had occasional flashes of brilliance but have been consistently third in the battle at the top of the F1 grid. Le Castellet (Circuit Paul Ricard), however, could prove to be the perfect stomping ground for Hamilton and Mercedes, according to 1996 F1 world champion Hill.
While in conversation during the latest episode of the F1 Nation podcast alongside former F1 driver Gerhard Berger, Hill was asked to share his predictions for the upcoming race weekend. The Briton said:
“It’s a smooth track, brilliant for aerodynamics. This may help Mercedes if they haven’t fixed their porpoising or they need to get that car low to the ground. I’m gonna go Lewis Hamilton.”
Hill then went on to paint a hypothetical picture that he feels could turn his prediction into a reality. He added, saying:
“I think there’s going to be an incident. I think that first corner is a bit tricky, the little chicane thing. Let’s say Charles [Leclerc] loses his front wing, or Max [Verstappen] gets a puncture or something like that. Maybe even on pure pace, the Mercedes springs a surprise, because I think in their race trim Lewis has been on occasions very, very quick. It could even be Lewis first, George [Russell] second, and Carlos Sainz third. How about that?”
Mercedes are expected to be bringing some upgrades to the W13 but it is still unclear how far they will go to bridge the gap between themselves and Red Bull and Ferrari ahead of them.
Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton 'still have a chunk of time to find to be serious contenders in 2022, feels Damon Hill
Mercedes still have time to resolve their issues and be a serious player in the 2022 F1 World Championship battles, according to former world champion Damon Hill.
Speaking in an interview with Sky Sports ahead of the 2022 F1 British GP, Hill said:
“I think if you actually look at the race pace, there’s still a bit of a way off. I mean, they sometimes show pace in the race, but then you don’t know how much faster Max could go if he had to, and typically, they tend to try and manage their tyres. They don’t burn out the car as fast as they can if they don’t have to.”
The 1996 F1 world champion went on to add, saying:
“So I would say that Mercedes still have a chunk of time to find to be serious contenders, but clearly, [we have] a very happy Lewis Hamilton putting on a brave face [after Canada] in what is a very difficult year after losing out on a possible eighth title last year.”
Since arriving in F1 in 2007, Lewis Hamilton has won a race every season he has raced in, all the while being powered by Mercedes. 11 races into the 2022 season, however, Mercedes have not managed to claim a finish higher than P3 this season.
