Mercedes to analyse possible reasons for late-2015 swing in momentum between Hamilton and Rosberg over the winter
Wednesday 2 December 2015 15:35, UK
The late-season turnaround in form between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg is unlikely to be down to one single factor, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff suspects.
Hamilton had already been assured since late October of ending 2015 as F1's world champion again, but the three races since the 30-year-old's third title coronation in Austin were won by Rosberg.
Clinching a hat-trick of wins at the season-ending Abu Dhabi GP on Sunday, Rosberg also outqualified Hamilton in the final six rounds - a complete turnaround from earlier in the season when the Briton opened a 12-1 lead on Saturdays.
Hamilton has pointed to set-up tweaks to Mercedes' car since their mysteriously poor showing in Singapore in September - the last time he outqualified Rosberg - for the sudden shift in momentum.
But Wolff, Mercedes' joint team boss, said: "I wouldn't say it's the most likely suspicion. The car is being developed and being improved and after Singapore we developed in a direction and we took some learning on board off that weekend.
"Whether the car has come more towards Nico and away from Lewis, I don't know. It could be a factor but I wouldn't want to reduce it onto one single factor. There could be many possible factors coming in and playing a role."
Wolff nonetheless confirmed that Mercedes would spend the opening weeks of the winter looking into Hamilton's concerns over the W06's set-up in a bid to establish why he struggled more in the closing races.
The Mercedes chief also did not rule out the possibility that Hamilton had subconsciously eased up since clinching the title in Austin.
"There has been so much discussion about has he [Nico] stepped up his game or has the car come towards him development-wise, or has Lewis just taken it easier - unconsciously, not consciously," Wolff added.
"I don't know. We have to do an intelligent list over the next couple of weeks to try to analyse.
"At the end of the day, for Lewis the World Championship title mattered, but then those last couple of races were really great driving from Nico."
Hamilton has himself denied there has been a drop in his motivation since his title coronation and Wolff added: "I don't think it is something that would happen consciously because he is still pushing very hard and he is still the same guy with the same talent and putting the same effort into it. You have to ask him, but it could play a role."
Don't miss the F1 Midweek Report for analysis of the Abu Dhabi GP and all the latest F1 news. Former BAR boss David Richards and car designer Gary Anderson join Natalie Pinkham on Sky Sports F1 at 8:30pm on Wednesday.
