Lewis Hamilton has confidence that Red Bull will not crumble following Adrian Newey’s departure.
Having proclaimed in Monaco he does not “anticipate being ahead” of George Russell in qualifying much in F1 2024, Lewis Hamilton says he’ll “try” in Canada where he too will run Mercedes’ new front wing.
After completing eight races in this year’s championship, Hamilton finds himself not only behind his team-mate in the Drivers’ standings but also in the qualifying head-to-head, where he trails 1-7.
Lewis Hamilton trails George Russell 1-7 in F1 2024 qualifying
In the previous race in Monaco, he attributed his recent qualifying loss to the influence of Mercedes’ latest front wing, exclusively installed on Russell’s W15 car.
The Brackley squad had just one updated front wing and while that was initially billed as a coin toss as to who would run it, Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin revealed “Lewis said” the team should “let George run it”.
Shovlin stated, “Lewis made it incredibly easy for us to make that decision.”
After a single race, Mercedes has acquired sufficient parts to enable both drivers to use the wing in Montreal. Hamilton is eager to make a comeback against his teammate.
When asked if he would “out-qualify George this weekend,” he responded by saying, “I’ll make an effort.”
Regarding the possibility of achieving his first grand prix podium of the season in Montreal, he commented, “I believe it’s within reach.”
“We have successfully completed the upgrade, and both cars will have it for this weekend. I am excited to witness the actual on-track performance and experience the difference it makes.”
The 2024 F1 team-mate tussles
F1 2024: Head-to-head qualifying record between team-mates
F1 2024: Head-to-head race statistics between team-mates
Hamilton expressed his thoughts on the upgrade and Mercedes’ advancement, stating that the car is continuously getting better. He believes that everyone has made progress, which brings them closer to the Red Bulls, and he finds this development to be very encouraging.
“I am immensely proud of everyone at the factory and amazed by their unwavering dedication and resilience. It’s truly inspiring to witness the incredible effort and focus that everyone is putting in, pushing forward with determination.”
I’m optimistic about our team’s high morale, and I hope that by getting closer to these individuals, we can start competing at the forefront.
He further stated that the greatest enhancement he has noticed this year is the ride quality and the ability to lower the car, which is a technique others have successfully employed. Additionally, he highlighted the improved stability when entering corners.
The car’s predictability has significantly improved over the past few years, especially this year. It has become much more stable, allowing us to take more risks while navigating corners. However, our weakness lies in maintaining corner balance, an area where some of our competitors have made significant progress.
“That’s the area we’re currently focusing on improving.”
Mercedes are fourth in the Constructors’ Championship on 96 points, well down on Red Bull’s 276.
Read next: Uncovered: The new Mercedes W15 front wing with legality wire now removed
