Lewis Hamilton is convinced after qualifying in Austin that he “feels” the new Mercedes upgrade – teammate Russell is still reserved
Is the new underbody on the Mercedes W14 already making itself felt? Lewis Hamilton, at any rate, is optimistic that the upgrade is having an effect. “It’s one of the first improvements I’ve actually felt in the last two years,” said the seven-time world champion after qualifying in Austin.
“So that’s positive, and we only need that step two or three times to put us in competitive mode,” the Mercedes driver, who secured third place on the grid in Texas, thinks directly two steps ahead. “I believe the guys can do it.”
Hamilton believes the changes have “taken the car to a higher level” in all performance areas, rather than changing the overall handling. “I’m really grateful for the improvements the team has made to the car,” the Mercedes driver enthused.
Hamilton hopes for “close battle “
“Everyone has worked so hard to bring about some improvements and to be so close to McLaren, Ferrari and even the Red Bulls I think is a testament to how hard everyone has worked,” believes Hamilton, who is not expecting too much in terms of Sunday’s race, however.
“It’s too early to tell,” Hamilton said. “None of us have done a long run, so I have no idea.” The current qualifying result, with Charles Leclerc on pole and Lando Norris second on the grid, suits the Mercedes driver. “Maybe that makes it better when the Red Bulls aren’t in the top three because they’re often way out in front and just disappear into the distance.”
“Hopefully the three of us can have a close battle,” Hamilton is optimistic. “I don’t really know if it means anything for next year, but as we continue to experiment, we get more and more knowledge about where we’re going and where we’re directing the flow of the car. “
“The ground is not much different,” reveals the Mercedes driver. “There’s always hype around an upgrade, but the rest of the car is exactly the same. And there are many areas where we can improve. But this is really an improvement!”
Wolff: “Competitive, but not super fast “
Mercedes sports boss Toto Wolff also had to acknowledge this: “The lap time Lewis was able to set was competitive – but not in such a way that the car is suddenly super-fast,” said Wolff. “There are certain areas where he feels more comfortable. And George on the other hand was not happy with how the car was running for him.”
Russell finished fifth on the grid in qualifying, but was pleased with the result considering the circumstances. He struggled with an unsettled rear end, but could also “feel the improvements we’ve made,” said Russell, who plans to work on his performance overnight.
“I made a mistake on my lap that may have cost me a position,” said Russell, who is targeting a points finish on Sunday.
