Mercedes have rejected allegations they are favoring Nico Rosberg over buddy Lewis Hamilton this season.
In a public statement to fans posted on their site, the group address “the haters, the naysayers and the conspirators” taking after feedback on online networking.
Mercedes additionally say it was a “miracle” Hamilton’s auto-completed Sunday’s Russian Grand Prix as the motor had zero water weight for the last 16 laps.
They concede they have not met their own “expectations on reliability” in 2016.
The letter comes in the wake of four disturbed races for Hamilton toward the begin of this season have abandoned him trailing Rosberg by 43 focuses – the likeness a win and a second place.
Furthermore, the issues have left the title holder presented to the probability of further challenges later in the season.
The motor issues endured by Hamilton mean he is liable to need to take lattice punishments for utilizing more than the allowed number of parts at some stage.
Be that as it may, the letter adds up to an enthusiastic request to fans who have blamed the group for attempting to build a title for Rosberg to reexamine.
“Performance-wise we are right on the money,” the letter says, “but there is work to be done. Our goal is not simply to be fast but bulletproof, too. Not just to manage the problems but to understand them, fix them and ensure they are not repeated.
“We are working tirelessly to do just that and will continue to do so every step of the way.
“But there are no guarantees. This is a mechanical sport, balancing on the knife-edge of performance and endurance. You have to push the boundaries and failures can happen.”
Mercedes say the whole group is “baffled and gutted” at the actuality Hamilton has endured indistinguishable disappointments in his motor’s half and half framework in the previous two qualifying sessions in China and Russia.
Be that as it may, they include they made a “monumental effort” to fly extra parts out to Russia overnight so Hamilton could begin from tenth on the network as opposed to the pit lane.
The letter clarifies in point of interest the motor issues both autos endured in the race while in transit to their one-two completion.
It says they saw “some alarming behavior” from Rosberg’s MGU-K – the part of the half-breed framework that recuperates vitality from the back pivot – not long after his pit stop.
“We spent a number of laps reassuring him he had a good gap over Lewis and could ease off before the FIA gave us the all-clear to tell him to switch to a setting that would control the issue”.
Hamilton’s water-weight issue, they said, emerged soon after this at once the Briton was setting quickest laps and shutting on Rosberg.
“We needed to await confirmation from the FIA of what we could tell him over the radio (as a result of this season’s restrictions on communication between team and driver),” the letter said.
It said that, with no water weight for what added up to about a fourth of the race, “the job he did to nurse the car home and still retain second place was truly remarkable”, adding: “We genuinely aren’t sure by what miracle the car limped across the line.”
