Lewis Hamilton admitted that he was desperate for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix to end after suffering from back pain during the race.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton revealed he was “praying” for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix to end after suffering back agony during the race. However, a After successfully implementing Mercedes’ two-stop strategy, the Briton finished fourth, with teammate George Russell finishing third.
Mercedes’ porpoising troubles persisted during the race, with Hamilton reportedly complaining of back discomfort. The Mercedes drier admitted to Sky Sports F1 after the race that he was depending on adrenaline to carry him through the 51-lap race.
“I was just like biting down on my teeth through pain and adrenaline,” the Brit explained. “I can’t express the pain that you would experience particularly on the straight here and at the end you’re just praying for it to end.”
Despite Mercedes’ best efforts to catch pace-setters Ferrari and Red Bull during the season, the team is still well behind the leaders. The porpoising concerns have persisted, and teammate Russell believes they will continue to exist for some time.
Hamilton went on to say that he believes excessive bouncing is the root of the Silver Arrows’ poor performance, and that eliminating the issue will improve their outcomes.
“We’re in such a good position still, getting third and fourth is a great result for the team,” added Hamilton. “The team did a great job with a strategy and once we fix this bouncing we’re gonna be right there in the race.”
“For sure we were losing over a second just with bouncing. I’ll be at the factory tomorrow, and we’ve got to have some discussions and keep pushing.”
