The seven-time world champion has secured an encouraging third on the grid for the Unites States Grand Prix, as he made the many of the newest modifications from his workforce to finish up behind Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris in qualifying
Whereas Mercedes performed down the potential of the brand new flooring forward of working, claiming it is more about understandings for its 2024 car, Hamilton has a unique perspective.
He doesn’t essentially assume it’s an indicator for the longer term, however says it has delivered a degree of enchancment that has not at all times come from Mercedes upgrades.
“I do not know actually if it is a signifier of something for subsequent 12 months however, as we proceed to experiment, we get increasingly more data of the place we’re going, and the place we’re routing the circulation of the automobile,” he mentioned.
“The ground shouldn’t be an enormous quantity totally different. There’s at all times hype with somebody’s improve however the remainder of the automobile is strictly the identical. And there is heaps and plenty of areas wherein we will enhance.
“However that is an enchancment. This is likely one of the first upgrades that I’ve really felt during the last two years. In order that’s a Positive, and we simply want two or thrice of this step to place us in tremendous aggressive mode, which I consider the fellows can do.”
Photograph by: Motorsport Images
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG
Hamilton mentioned that the modifications had “levelled up the automobile” in all areas of efficiency, slightly than altering the best way it handles general.
And he added that progress was testomony to the efforts being made again at Mercedes’ Brackley manufacturing facility to ship a faster W14.
“I’m actually grateful for the enhancements that the workforce have made with the automobile,” he mentioned.
“Everybody’s labored so exhausting to carry some upgrades and, for us to be this near McLaren and Ferrari and even the Pink Bulls, I feel it is a exhibiting of simply how exhausting everybody’s labored.”
However whereas the tweaks put him in a superb place to problem for the victory on Sunday, he was unclear about simply how robust he might be.
“Too early to say,” he mentioned. “None of us have performed any lengthy working, so I don’t know.
“Possibly with the Pink Bull not within the high three, perhaps that makes it a greater nearer battle as a result of they’re typically fairly a bit forward and simply disappear into the space.
“So hopefully, the three of us can have a decent battle.”