Mercedes explains decision to send cars out in rain

2015 Canadian Grand Prix

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Mercedes has explained why it sent both its drivers out during the rain in today’s second practice session, which led to Lewis Hamilton crashing his car.

Hamilton and Nico Rosberg had left the pits on intermediate tyres even though rain was falling increasingly heavily.

Executive director for technical Paddy Lowe explained the drivers had been sent out “to do some practice race starts – that’s a normal part of our P2 programme”.

“Because the programme was very condensed in the short window of dry weather that we have we chose not to do those practice starts during the dry period but then to go out before it became very wet indeed and try to get two or three race starts done.

“Unfortunately the conditions worsened quicker than we’d anticipated and the conditions caught Lewis out in an unfortunate manner. But we’ll get it sorted for tomorrow, it should be all fine.”

Hamilton had been told to come in to switch to full wet weather tyres shortly before he crashed.

The marshals who recovered Hamilton’s car appeared to cause further damage to it with one of their cranes. “We were worried watching that,” said Lowe. “I think there’s some minor damage to the rear end which came from the crane handling, but nothing serious.”

Lowe also confirmed the team has made changes in its approach to deciding race strategy following the call which cost Hamilton victory in the Monaco Grand Prix.

“There was some problems with the software so we’ve fixed some of the bugs that were in that,” he said, “changed some of our communications and freed up some of the people involved so they have a bit more capacity.”

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    Keith Collantine
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    6 comments on “Mercedes explains decision to send cars out in rain”

    1. So they are going to fix the Monaco issue by improving the software. Ugh. I thought they were going to install a “system” to determine whether the computers need to be employed, I.e. Leadership—an experienced person with two eyes to follow the race, understand it, and make immediate smart calls.

      1. In other words, Ross Brawn.

        1. Sometimes It would be good to have Ross Brawn back from a strategy point of view, but then again would we have saw Lewis & Nico battle at any point last season if that was the case? I’m not so sure.

          1. no, but you would see Merceds + daylight, even moreso than what we see today. I still maintain that Ross Brawn was the brainchild of this latest evolution of F1, and he was unceremoniously dumped by the team right when his plan fell into place.

            1. Unceremoniously dumped? You sure about that? Sounds to me like he is happily retired. If he was dumped I think he would have managed to go work for another team that would have taken him in a heartbeat. Yet it never seemed, at least to me, like he was merely on a garden leave waiting until a contract clause ran out.

            2. @dragoll Agree with Robbie, there is nothing to say he was dumped – it was his choice to leave F1. He is probably the most in demand person in F1 – Ferrari would have him back in a heartbeat if he wanted.

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