Former Aston Martin F1 strategist Bernie Collins has questioned Mercedes’ choice to not run Lewis Hamilton on the mushy tyre in observe when analysing his efficiency in dash qualifying.
Hamilton secured sixth on the grid for the Saturday dash race, two-tenths behind Mercedes teammate George Russell.
The seven-time world champion made a mistake at Flip 3 earlier than encountering visitors within the remaining couple of corners.
Hamilton’s remaining SQ3 effort was the primary time he had run on the softs this weekend in Austria – a call Mercedes would possibly remorse, in keeping with Collins.
“Doubtlessly. However they made some totally different selections to everybody else, if we’re being harsh,” she mentioned on Sky’s F1 protection.
“Lewis didn’t run the mushy. The one driver to not run the mushy in P1. He ran the exhausting. So, going into dash qualy, he has to make a step to the medium then a step to the mushy.
“Arguably, these are the very best drivers on this planet so you may make that step. However no person else felt that they may… Once they return and take a look at it, was it the correct or flawed choice? We by no means get the correct reply.”
As soon as once more, Mercedes confirmed spectacular tempo in observe earlier than faltering when it mattered.
Nevertheless, it was nonetheless an encouraging efficiency for Mercedes as they toppled Ferrari.
Former W Collection driver Naomi Schiff appears like Hamilton was on the again foot instantly.
“All of us had the next expectation for Mercedes at present,” she defined. “However, from the get go along with that second on the exit of Flip 1, they have been in a spiral of chasing their tails.
“They have been underneath the thumb of getting to react. You’ve received to place a brand new set of mediums on for SQ1, a brand new set for SQ2, and a brand new set of latest or used for SQ3. However, you’ll be able to’t placed on a second set of mediums. He misplaced the height second of that tyre. There was visitors, as properly.
“From then on, you might be in all probability simply frazzled. He had a second on the exit of Flip 3, apart from the turbulent air. It didn’t come collectively. I’m wondering how a lot efficiency is left in it, if that they had the proper run.
“However did they put themselves in that place by placing themselves not within the optimum place, coming in additional comfy with the final set-up. I’m wondering if they’re fighting set-up as properly. We noticed Lewis have fairly a couple of moments in FP1, as properly. I don’t know if they’re totally proud of the stability of the automobile.”
Collins additionally questioned Mercedes’ early operating on the exhausting tyre and the way a lot the work they did on that compound “interprets” to the softer rubber.
“[Hamilton] didn’t get the primary run on a medium. The second run, your out-lap will not be the identical as a result of it’s a used tyre, successfully. Q2, heaps goes flawed. It escalates,” Collins concluded.
“He was the primary automobile on observe in SQ3. That was the very best likelihood to do the out-lap largely as he wished to. They are going to be taking a look at how they may have improved coming into this weekend.
“Their set-up for the beginning of FP1 was actually good, however on a tough tyre. We don’t know the way a lot that interprets.”
