Lewis Hamilton criticizes F1 power unit rules for hindering overtaking

Hamilton slams power unit rules

Lewis Hamilton claims Formula 1 power unit rules made racing difficult at the Mexican Grand Prix because of "silly" engine settings. He told reporters in a post-race press conference with Max Verstappen and Andrea Kimi Antonelli that the engine can go faster but certain clips prevent overtaking. Hamilton noted a specific instance where a car could not go past a certain speed at the end of the straight, which resulted in most drivers simply following each other. I find his criticism hits the mark because the engine profile settings prevent the extra power in the slipstream from being useful.

Hamilton argued that the current engine profile setting provides poor racing because drivers cannot use the extra power in the slipstream to overtake when they reach a certain speed at the end of the straight. He also mentioned that high altitude and thin air make it harder to follow other cars due to low downforce. While F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali rejected the criticism and said fans "don’t understand" clipping, Hamilton noted that everyone having this issue this year diminishes any opportunity for racing. He also suggested the track configuration could change, noting the last corner is very quick and made it hard to follow. He added that he gave everything to try to get close to Max, while other drivers also warned before the race that the "speed limiter" would inhibit overtaking.

Verstappen’s inconsistent engine braking

Max Verstappen reported engine braking problems during the latter stages of the Mexican Grand Prix and could not explain the cause. He told the media that he could not explain the issues and suggested he might need to have a conversation with the engine before the race to make it behave better. Verstappen suspected the problem was linked to the demanding conditions at the track. He said, "We don’t know, sometimes it just happens. It’s not very consistent." He also noted that it is tough to make everything spot on because everything runs so hot for the turbocharger and other components.

I observe that the inconsistent engine braking issues Verstappen faced likely stem from the same high temperatures that impact the engine’s behavior. He noted that everything runs very hot at the track, which makes it hard to keep the turbocharger and other parts spot on. He said, "It just decides by itself what to do" regarding the engine braking. This inconsistency adds another layer of difficulty to an already challenging race weekend.