Mercedes’ struggles continued at the Chinese Grand Prix, with Lewis Hamilton placing ninth and George Russell finishing sixth. Hamilton, who was eliminated in Q1 for the first time in over two years, opted to change his car’s setup before qualifying, a move that proved costly.
Despite Hamilton’s claims that he holds no responsibility for Mercedes’ decline, Russell has revealed that the veteran driver had a hand in designing the team’s 2024 car. Russell previously expressed dissatisfaction with the position of the cockpit and other aspects of Mercedes’ previous car.
According to GP33, Hamilton shifted blame to Mercedes engineers after the race by stating that he did not design the car. Last year, he had criticized Mercedes for not incorporating his design suggestions.
Russell, on the other hand, believes that Hamilton’s input played a role in the design of the 2024 Mercedes. He noted that the cockpit has been repositioned and other elements have been incorporated into the car based on Hamilton’s preferences.
