Let’s break down what Hamilton said about the gap between him and Russell in Monaco. He pointed out that Russell had a better chance of winning because his car had been upgraded, while Hamilton’s hadn’t. Hamilton felt frustrated because he knew he would struggle in qualifying due to this difference in car performance.
He even mentioned that he didn’t expect to outqualify Russell for the rest of the season and expressed confusion about why his car seemed to lose performance specifically on Saturdays.
Hamilton’s words hinted that maybe Mercedes wasn’t treating both drivers equally, especially since Russell had the upgraded wing and was staying with the team next year, while Hamilton was leaving for Ferrari.
However, the truth behind Mercedes’ decision wasn’t about favoring one driver over the other. Both Hamilton and Russell were given the option to use the new wing, but Hamilton chose not to.
There were a couple of reasons for this. Hamilton wanted a consistent setup throughout practice and qualifying to build his confidence on the track. Also, using the new wing meant there was no backup if it got damaged during qualifying, which could lead to starting from the pitlane due to regulations.
Although Hamilton faced a disadvantage in Monaco, Mercedes confirmed that both drivers would have the upgraded wing for the next race in Canada, ensuring equality in car performance.
