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Mercedes has admitted it is still working on fixing the engine problems that have thwarted Lewis Hamilton's championship campaign so far in 2016. In China and again in Russia, the reigning triple world champion struck trouble with identical problems aboard two different V6 'power units'.
Then in the Sochi race, the Briton was lucky to see the chequered flag due to a water leak, which boss Toto Wolff says was caused by a "cracked carbon pipe". "We are trying to analyse and find the root cause for the problems and it's not evident," Wolff admitted this week.
Although it is Hamilton's works car that has been the most badly affected so far, Mercedes also supplies customer engines to Williams, Force India and Manor. Rob Smedley, the chief engineer at Williams, said the British team has not had similar problems.
"I know that the Mercedes engine division is investigating the two failures of Hamilton, trying to understand what the problem is," he is quoted by Brazil's UOL. "We are taking every precaution we can, but we are obviously guided by their engine division."
Wolff explained that in the third year of the same regulations and a harder challenge from Ferrari, Mercedes is simply pushing harder with its engine in 2016. "It is a mechanical sport," Smedley agreed, "in which you balance performance and reliability. You have the push the limits and faults can happen." (GMM)
Grand Prix of Belgium
C. Sainz jr
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Replies (3)
Login to replymclarenfan1968
Posts: 1,027
This is easy! The problem is right inside that troll Toto Wolff's mouth. Just slap that idiot and shut him up. Problems gone.
khasmir
Posts: 893
Obviously Merc is pushing their engines harder than their customers so even if they are the same spec Merc is getting more performance out of them.
Vet5
Posts: 225
This is very true, they made a statement last week stating they are pushing the engines. But I do think it may be to do with Hamilton pushing his car to the limit to try and catch Rosberg. Everyone basically bummed merc at winter testing for the mileage but they never pushed the car to test reliability, so its there own fault.