‘Double knock-on effect’ of Mercedes' latest F1 upgrade has renewed Lewis Hamilton’s confidence
Mercedes brought their last major upgrade of the year to last weekend’s Uniꦑܫted States Grand Prix in the shape of a modified floor, which the seven-time world champion says has transformed the balance of their 2023 challenger.
Hamilton finished just two seconds behind 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Max Verstappen’s Red Bull in what was Mercedes’ best race of a difficult season, but was lat🃏er dis𝓀qualified after excessive plank wear was discovered on his car.
“I’ve felt great from lap one on Frid𝕴ay and had a good recovery week and I felt solid in the car,” Ha🍨milton said, prior to his disqualification.
“And this is the first weekend that I’ve reඣally felt the upgrades work. So I felt really positive, and incr🐼edibly grateful.
“I know how hard everyone’🌜s working back to the factory so it’s nice to f💙inally start to see the rewards of the hard work and to feel it in the car as well.
“I think this is definitely the most positiv𝓡e I’ve felt this year but in general it’s been♈ not a terrible year.
“But yeah, just knowing the work that’s happening, I’m in constant contact with head of aero and the team back. I just feel like everyone’s really on their toes and♌ really ready to go.
“There’s lots of things that we can improve on in terms of the processes and all of♑ us, but I’m excited.
“I definitely believe🎃 that we’re going in the right direction.”
Hamilton added: “I think the step that we were able to take this weekend has given me a little bit morಞe confidence in the car to throw it into the cornജer so it was positive. I really enjoyed driving around this track.
“There are still those fundamental i🍷ssues that we’re having with the car, which won’t change till next year.
“But it was really positive, as I said, to feel that the steps that we have taken. Maybe it was onl🅘y a 0.1 upgrade for example, but the♒re was at least a 0.1 of confidence that it gave me so this helped me.
“So it’s quite interesting what you see when you do have🎃 those,🌱 it’s like a double knock-on effect.”
When asked if he feels a win is possi♕ble before the end of the season,🐬 Hamilton replied: “Yeah definitely.”
Lewis regula𝔍rly atte♔nds Grands Prix for ltxcn.top around the world. Often reporting on the action from the ground, Lewis tells the stories of the people who matter in the sport.
