Starting the Azerbaijan GP from the pit lane, Lewis Hamilton worked his way through the field to finish P9. However, with his teammate George Russell securing P3, Hamilton’s performance seemed less impressive by comparison. Yet, Andrew Shovlin disagreed.
He revealed they had conducted a secret experiment on Hamilton’s car during the Baku race. In Mercedes’ post-race debrief on YouTube, Shovlin insisted Hamilton’s Baku result was “deemed successful.” According to the Silver Arrows’ trackside engineer, it was a strategic move that ultimately paid off.
After qualifying, Hamilton and Co. knew that changing parts of its cars would lead to a back-of-the-grid penalty. At the same time, the new parts would ensure the W15’s balance was more suited to the Baku Street Circuit.
“It wasn’t so much that we were putting new or experimental parts,” Shovlin said. “It was more just the opportunity between Qualifying and Race that you don’t normally get.” Mercedes had the luxury of experimenting with Hamilton’s car, knowing he would need to take an engine penalty at some point in the season.
They selected Azerbaijan for this, allowing the 39-year-old to gather valuable performance data. Hamilton also worked closely with his engineers, reviewing the car’s setup. Together, they brainstormed adjustments to improve the W15’s performance in Baku, especially given his pit lane start.
A pitlane start was mandatory for Mercedes While Russell was pleased with his car’.