Mercedes: Hamilton’s Qatar Puncture Unrelated to Mirror Debris
Mercedes has determined that the puncture suffered by Lewis Hamilton in last weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix was not caused by debris from a wing mirror fallen off Alexander Albon’s Williams. The conclusion was based on data analysis and video evidence reviewed by the team, as explained by Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes’ head of trackside engineering.
Unraveling the Mystery
During the race, Hamilton and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz both suffered sudden front-left tyre punctures in quick succession. The incidents occurred on lap 34, shortly after Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas had pulverized the stray mirror, which had fallen off and landed near the pit exit at the approach to Turn 1. The punctures prompted race control to deploy a safety car, having initially issued and then withdrawn double-yellow flags when the mirror was spotted on the track, but off the racing line.
Expert Analysis
Mercedes’ analysis indicated that the timing of Hamilton’s puncture did not align with the mirror debris being the cause. Shovlin stated in Mercedes’ post-race video debrief on YouTube, “We’ve obviously got the video data, we can see exactly when that mirror got smashed, when it got broken into a lot of pieces. We’ve also got the on-car data and we’re measuring the pressure in the tyres live. Now, surprisingly, we can see Lewis start to lose pressure prior to the mirror being hit by Valtteri.”
What’s Next?
While the mirror debris can be ruled out as the cause, the possibility that another piece of debris triggered the puncture cannot be entirely dismissed. Pirelli, F1’s official tyre supplier, is conducting a forensic analysis of all the tyres to determine the exact cause of the failure. Shovlin highlighted the challenging conditions at the Qatar circuit, suggesting that high loads and extreme cornering forces may have contributed to the puncture.
As investigations continue, Mercedes remains cautious about drawing firm conclusions beyond ruling out Albon’s shattered mirror as the culprit for Hamilton’s tyre failure. Stay tuned for updates as Pirelli’s findings are expected to shed further light on the underlying cause of the punctures.
