In seven out of the eight races, Lewis Hamilton has consistently fallen behind George Russell during qualifying sessions in Monaco.
Lewis Hamilton has revealed that George Russell is running Mercedes’ only upgraded front wing at the Monaco Grand Prix after his latest defeat in the inter-team qualifying battle.
Following a challenging start to the season, Mercedes had shown improved pace throughout practice in Monte Carlo with Hamilton a fixture in the top three.
George Russell running new Mercedes front wing, Lewis Hamilton reveals
Nevertheless, despite being a seven-time World Champion, the driver had to accept a seventh-place finish in the qualifying round. Their lap time was 0.078 seconds slower compared to Russell, who secured the fifth position. It is worth noting that Russell has outperformed their esteemed teammate in qualifying for seven out of the eight races held during the F1 2024 season.
Hamilton, who refrained from making major alterations to his car’s setup in recent weeks, attributed his recent loss to Russell’s new front wing. He argued that he was automatically at a disadvantage of two tenths compared to his teammate during qualifying.
When asked about his feelings regarding his lower position on the grid, he expressed his disappointment to Sky F1, saying, “Definitely, definitely. It seemed promising yesterday.”
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“We have dedicated significant effort to enhance this car, and right from the start, it felt exceptional. As evident from our performance yesterday and this morning, we were clearly competitive.”
“We are not making any major changes or anything of that nature.”
“The team has diligently put in great efforts at the factory to introduce an upgrade in the past two races, as well as an upcoming update this weekend. However, we only possess a single upgrade, which George has.”
I expected it to be challenging to surpass George in qualifying due to his upgraded component. However, it’s fantastic to witness that we are also introducing upgrades.
However, I don’t comprehend once we reach the qualifying stage.
“I am already aware that I will automatically lose 0.2 seconds during qualifying.”
“It is certainly frustrating, and I currently do not have a solution for it.”
“I haven’t changed my driving style; the laps were truly impressive. It’s just that I feel something is missing.”
After a challenging beginning to the season, Hamilton finds solace in Mercedes’ improvement. However, he believes that Russell’s three-tenths gap behind Leclerc’s impressive pace in the Ferrari will likely become more pronounced at conventional tracks.
Hamilton stated that he is unlikely to pose a challenge to Russell in qualifying conditions for the rest of the F1 2024 season.
It remains uncertain if Russell will receive upgrade priority at Mercedes, following Hamilton’s move to Ferrari in F1 2025.
Hamilton stated that Monaco could potentially serve as a turning point for Mercedes’ season, as per the team’s viewpoint.
This weekend, for some reason, we seem to be a lot closer. It’s truly wonderful to witness. The car felt amazing, far superior to previous years.
However, three-and-a-half tenths remains a significant amount in this context. Moreover, in other places, it is equivalent to six tenths, indicating that we are still falling behind in terms of pace.
“We must persevere and continue pushing forward. Throughout the year, we will gradually approach our goals as more upgrades become available.”
“I don’t expect to outperform George in qualifying, especially this year, but we must continue to push ourselves during the races as they are our strong suit.”
Hamilton responded with a smile when asked why he is unlikely to challenge Russell in qualifying all season, saying, “Let’s wait and see.”
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