Brigit Adongo
Lewis Hamilton came from tenth to first in Brazil, delivering a performance that was far superior to his competitors, and which future teammate Russell termed “absolutely beastly.” Many think the Briton’s brilliant victory stemmed more from his new engine than capability.
Former F1 racer Ralf Schumacher is concerned about Mercedes’ motives behind the new engine, which is believed to have superior qualities that give its users a speed advantage over opponents. “This worries me a little,” the six-time Grand Prix winner stated.
According to the German, if Formula One lets Hamilton and Mercedes walk away scot-free after their “unfair” advantage, everyone else will follow suit and opt for superior engines that’ll quicken their pace, regardless of the consequences.
“…if this idea breaks down, everyone will change the engine every time…and everyone has a great performance,” he said. Mercedes alleged that their top drivers’ engine was worn, prompting the replacement. But Schumacher thinks that’s not good enough a reason. “In my opinion, an engine should only be changed if it has to be.” The former Toyota Racing driver observed.
Since the resulting penalty didn’t affect the seven-time champion’s performance, and F1 seemed to take no further action, hearsay has it that Lewis might get another engine before the season ends, which doesn’t sit well with Ralf.
“You shouldn’t be able to take advantage like this…if Mercedes has more wear and tear and less performance than the others, “that’s their problem,” Schumacher said, raising eyebrows at the Silver Arrows’ frequent car alterations.
