Formula One - Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, Chinese GP 2024. Lewis Hamilton
Day of contrasts on Saturday in Shanghai
F1 Sprint | Qualifying | ||||||||
Driver | Grid | Result | Tyres | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | |||
Lewis Hamilton | P2 | P2 | Medium | 6 Laps | P18 | - | - | - | - |
1:35.573 | Soft, Soft | - | - | - | - | ||||
George Russell | P11 | P8 | Soft | 9 Laps | P7 | 5 Laps | P6 | 6 Laps | P8 |
1:35.084 | Soft, Soft | 1:34.609 | Soft, Soft | 1:34.433 | Soft, Soft | ||||
To be sat on the front-row for the Sprint was a great feeling. Racing into turn one and taking the lead reminded me of what I love so much about this sport! It was a challenging race but to get second was great.
We knew Qualifying would be much more tough this afternoon though. I made some sizeable set-up changes after the Sprint to try and improve the car in the slow speed turns. It wasn’t too bad in some corners, but I struggled elsewhere. It was challenging to get the rear tyres to stop into turn 14 and that’s where I locked up on my final lap. If I hadn’t had that, I would have made it through to Q2. I’ll be giving it my best shot tomorrow. We can still have some fun even if we are starting from P18.
We didn’t have our best day today. With the strong wind, it was very challenging out there. The conditions had changed from Friday too, so we had to adapt. We took the Soft tyre for the Sprint and it was definitely worth the gamble. It performed OK and it gave us some good learnings for tomorrow. Ultimately, we did well to score a point.
Qualifying was also tricky. My first lap in Q2 was looking very strong but the red flag forced us to abort. We had to use another set of new tyres to progress to Q3. Without that, we would have had two new sets for the final part of Qualifying and it could have been a different outcome but who knows. We are in that fight between P3 and P8 and, unfortunately, we’ve found ourselves at the back end of that battle in the last few races in Qualifying. Small differences can have a major impact.
It is hard to predict what will happen tomorrow. It’s all to play for with those cars around us so hopefully we have the pace to move forward.
Second in the Sprint was a good result. Lewis made a very strong start and that opened up the potential of a strong finish for us. With George, the Soft tyre was a bit of an experiment that we wanted to try. It held on better than expected and that opens up more possibilities for Sunday. Ultimately, we knew that we had outperformed where the true pace of our car was in the Sprint.
We therefore decided to make some big set-up changes between the Sprint and Qualifying to try and improve the car’s low-speed performance. The drivers chose to go in pretty different directions to support our learning process, but it clearly didn’t work for us today on a single lap. Lewis would have progressed comfortably out of Q1 without a lock-up in Turn 14 that cost him more than half-a-second.
George made it through to Q3 solidly but had just one set of new tyres available. He set his fastest lap of the session, but like two weeks ago in Suzuka, was at the back of a close group where a couple of tenths equate to four or five grid positions. We now need to focus on racing and recovering strongly tomorrow and moving forwards with both cars.
It was great to be able to hang onto P2 with Lewis in the Sprint and for George to make enough places up to get into the points. However, neither driver was happy with the car. The wind rotated overnight and made the balance very inconsistent. In some corners we were suffering with understeer and in others the rear was very weak. To try to address that, we made extensive changes to both cars going into Qualifying. The car was quite different and ultimately that caught Lewis out in Q1 with a big lock into the hairpin on his final lap. Without that he would have gone through comfortably.
George managed a little better, but it still wasn't an easy car to drive. With only one new set of Soft tyres for Q3, P8 was ultimately the best we could do. We're at the back of a tight bunch and small steps will change the picture quite quickly, but right now we're not quick enough. We'll run the usual simulations this evening to understand how to best optimise the situation for tomorrow, but we're likely going to have to look for the opportunities to do things differently to others.
Returning to China is an important moment for the sport. As the world’s largest automotive market and second biggest economy, China is crucial to the sport’s global footprint. The growth of F1 in recent years has been positive and China is a key market in which to continue this progress. We are looking forward to racing in Shanghai for the first time in five years and bringing F1 back to the Chinese fans. With a sell-out crowd expected, I am sure it will be a fantastic event.
It will be an interesting weekend on track. With new cars, new tyres, and changes to the track surface since we last raced in China, there will be plenty of unknowns. We have the first Sprint weekend of the year too and that brings its own challenges. The changes to the format, including a second parc ferm̩, will be an improvement to the rhythm of the weekend Рand the single hour of practice still puts pressure on to make correct decisions with imperfect information. We are looking forward to that test, though.
The headline results didn’t necessarily show it, but we made solid progress with our car in Japan. We are looking forward to building on that this weekend.
Mercedes-Benz Group sold 568,400 (-6%) cars and vans in the first quarter. Mercedes-Benz Cars saw sales rise in the United States (+3%), and a solid performance in Europe, particularly in the UK (+43%) and France (+35%) while sales in Asia were influenced by model changes and supply-chain constraints. Mercedes-Benz Vans delivered a strong performance thanks to rising sales in China (+27%) and United States (+15%).
“Our customers can look forward to an exciting year 2024 with a series of fantastic new product launches in 2024, particularly in the Top-End segment.
One of the highlights is just around the corner with the long-awaited world premiere of the all-new electric G at Auto China in Beijing in two weeks.”
Britta Seeger, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG. Marketing & Sales
Mercedes-Benz Cars sales reached 463,000 units (-8%) in the first quarter, with solid results in all regions except Asia where model change effects and supply chain bottlenecks had a strong temporary impact on Q1 sales. The sales decline in China was mainly driven by the ongoing ramp-up of its top-selling E-Class long-wheelbase model which is expected to see sales accelerate in the upcoming quarters.
Demand for plug-in hybrid vehicles resulted in a 6% sales rise in the first three months, while global battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales of Mercedes-Benz Cars reached 47,500 units (-8%) in the first quarter, as the smart fortwo[1] reached the end of its lifecycle (-30%). Overall, electric vehicles accounted for 10% of total Q1 Mercedes-Benz Cars sales and 19% including plug-in-hybrids.
The availability of Top-End products was constrained during the quarter, mainly by the model changeovers of the G-Class and Mercedes-AMG derivatives of the E-Class and GLC as well as supply-chain bottlenecks. In 2024, Mercedes-Benz will present twelve Top-End vehicles, including eight Mercedes-AMG models and the world premiere of the electric G. The EQS sedan will receive an extensive update with extended range to more than 800 km, executive rear seats, and the upright star on the front hood. The S-Class remains the undisputed leader in its segment in all key regions.
Q1 sales in the Core segment increased by 8%, driven by strong growth of the GLC as parts availability for the model increased. The availability of parts is expected to further improve in the upcoming months.
In China, the ramp-up of the locally produced long-wheelbase E-Class is on track, while sales for the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class remain strong (+13%) and Mercedes-Benz continues to be first choice among customers in the segment priced over 1 million RMB.
In Germany, Mercedes-Benz remains market leader in the premium segment in Q1. However, consumer demand for BEVs slowed following the abrupt end of a tax incentive.
In the U.S. market, sales went up 3% driven by an improved availability of the GLC.
Mercedes-Benz Cars continues transforming the car buying experience for its customers. As the 11th country, Mercedes-Benz Thailand implemented the direct sales model in February 2024.
*Top-End: Mercedes-AMG, Mercedes-Maybach, G-Class, S-Class, GLS, EQS and EQS SUV *Core: All derivatives from C- and E-Class, incl. EQC, EQE and EQE SUV *Entry: All derivatives from A- and B-Class incl. EQA, EQB and smart ** Europe: European Union, United Kingdom, Switzerland and Norway *** North America: USA, Canada and Mexico All figures rounded. Preliminary figures subject to change pending final reports. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Over the course of the last few months, we brought to you a variety of international events and shows of interest. If your budget or time constraints limit you to just one show to go to, go visit the pinnacle of them all, the German Techno Classica. Held in Essen close to Cologne for 35 years since 1989, the Techno Classica has always been the largest and most impressive of them all. 2024's event ended just a couple days ago. Here's why you should go in 2025.
This year 1,100 exhibitors were showing 2,700 cars — around 2,000 of them for sale — to almost 190,000 visitors from over 40 nations. Eight halls and two outdoor areas covering close to 1.3-million sq.ft. – do you need more info? But why would this matter to Porsche fans like you? Just like with any other object of desire, the homeland, the land of its inception and creation, also has the biggest variety of cars, and the largest number of suppliers, tuners, and accessories manufacturers in the world. If you like, love, live, and breathe Porsche, TC has more variety for you than any other event in the world, promise.
By our own estimate, close to 200 cars – or about 10% of the cars for sale – appeared to be Porsches, and of course, mainly 911s. Whether it’s super early cars, current models, modified ones or one-offs, Essen did not disappoint. Dozens of dealers held unique cars for sale, with some of them being brand- or even model-specific. There were super-early 1960s short-wheelbase 911s, Carrera RSs, a variety of 1975 Turbos, air-cooled, water-cooled, and modern cars through today, but no company did more to promote and offer 911s than the aptly named EARLY911S, a German outlet based in nearby Wuppertal, just half an hour south of the show in Essen.
With almost 40 cars on display (all but two being 911s) the company did its name proud. “Our display of 39 cars is to highlight the 50th anniversary of the Porsche turbo,” explains the company’s Daniel Neumann. The cars were placed chronologically and in a circle, allowing visitors to walk the turbo timeline and see the cars from the front or the back. There were too many highlights to list them all, but some of our favorites were the 1976 930 3.0 in one-of-one color Turquoise Diamond and an interior in striking yellow-and-blue plaid; the Slate Grey 1989 slantnose 3.3-liter Turbo; the original bb “Polaroid” 911 Targa, built by Buschmann and used in the movie “Carnapping” (unfortunately not for sale); as well as two wonderful motor show cars, the 965 prototype shown at the 1990 Geneva Motor Show in Amethyst and, last but by no means least, the Paris Motor Show car from two years later, the 1992 wimbledon green Turbo 3.6 with a wonderfully quirky green interior.
This display alone would have put previous show stands by Porsche AG to shame – which is just as well as Porsche itself was no longer present with their own display in Essen. But Porsche wasn’t the outlier. Other brands from Mercedes to BMW, Opel to VW, were also absent. While experts lamented the missing manufacturers, for us this was a return to Techno Classica’s early days, where the main stands were organized by clubs and dealers. Speaking of clubs, as in previous years, Stuttgart’s club department managed a neat little display of a variety of Porsche clubs under one banner – with a bright red Porsche Diesel tractor taking center stage.
Another car that took our fancy was Swedish dealer MOTIKON’s Speed Yellow 2003 996, an ex-Porsche AG car with a later Ruf R Kompressor and 409 horsepower. Broad Arrow Private Sales had brought a wonderful 2018 935 (one of 77 ever built), a 700-hp monster in gorgeous green Jägermeister trim. Abt restorations (yes, that DTM Abt) showed off their restoration masterpiece, a 1970 Porsche 911S Coupé in Irish Green. This car was delivered new to New York in late 1969 and presented itself fully converted to EU spec with extensive photo documentation.
But that wasn’t everything. Techno Classica has several dozen suppliers offering any standard item and any Porsche accessory you can think of. Whether it’s the new Turkish outlet Antrim manufacturing impressive-looking interior parts like dashboards and sun visors, or veterans Classic Auto Radio Station, who had Blaupunkt and Becker radios from the 1930s to 2000 for sale, Essen is the land of milk and honey for Porsche fans. Seatbelt experts Quickfit Safety Belts from the UK appeared to do very good business supplying replacement webbing and locks for standard belts as well as four- and five-point safety harness systems.
No doubt the Porsche market is alive and thriving. Something that specialist Martin Heinze from Classic Analytics, one of Germany’s leading appraisal firms summed up nicely: “We are looking at an ever more segmented market today. Prewar cars are losing their momentum and prices are going down. High-end classics are thriving while bread-and-butter cars are having a tough time and values are sinking. The Porsche market, however, is rising on a trajectory of its own.”
Enough said.
Close qualifying session sets up interesting race at Suzuka
Qualifying was generally a really good session. I think we’ve made some good improvements to the car and its balance so far this weekend. I was overall much happier in the car than I have been this year, although there are clear areas of improvement. We have taken steps in the right direction though. When we raced here just six months ago, we were over one second adrift and we’ve closed that gap to the front a little, and to our nearest competitors. Of course I was hoping for more and we are never going to be happy with P7, but we know our car is a work in progress.
Tomorrow’s race will be all about tyre degradation. Our long run pace looked similar to others on Friday, so we will see if that is the case on Sunday. I think it will be very close tomorrow so I hope we can maximise all the various factors and take home some good points.
It was so tight out there between ourselves, the McLarens, the Ferraris, and the Aston Martins. After FP3, we knew there would only be one tenth or two between all those cars and so it proved. If you didn’t do a great lap you would end up P9 and that is what happened with me today. I made a mistake on my final lap; it’s a little bit disappointing but that is how it goes sometimes. It isn’t the most difficult race to overtake at though, and with tyre degradation and different strategies, hopefully we can move forward tomorrow. A lot can certainly happen.
We’ve started this season with several high-speed circuits. We know that is where our weakness is with this car, and we knew this weekend wouldn’t be our best. It is good that we are exposing these weaknesses as it gives us the understanding of the platform we are building on and adding performance to. It sets a clear direction for us to improve.
The headline result of P7 and P9 is not great. The positive though is that we are not too far off the second row, just one tenth or so, at a track that was one of, if not the worst, last year. We seem to have taken a step in the right direction with the car this weekend. Everyone is pushing so hard to understand more about the W15 and how we can build on the platform we have. To see progress is therefore encouraging.
It is difficult to predict what tomorrow’s race will look like. The pack behind Red Bull is very tight so we will see what we can do. The long run data from Friday, and today’s qualifying session, shows that it could be close. We will look to maximise everything we do and the package we have to score the best result possible.
We headed to Japan focused on trying to make the car more consistent and drivable over the weekend. Pleasingly, it looks like we've made some progress in that regard. We'd be a lot happier of course if we were a tenth quicker. That would have put us several positions higher up on the grid. The reality at the moment though is we are the wrong side of a tight bunch of cars and need to find some more performance.
Despite that, we have halved our gap to pole position from last year and can also be encouraged by the fact that even small steps forward will move us up the grid. The red flag and rain yesterday have meant we're short of long run data, but this is a race where you can move forward if you have good pace. We will be looking to make the most of the car we have, execute our strategy well, and hopefully can finish higher up than where we are starting.
