An encouraged Lewis Hamilton is optimistic Mercedes have found an improved direction to move forward with their inconsistent 2024 car after the first two days of the Japanese GP weekend.
Although Hamilton qualified seventh and George Russell ninth for Sunday’s Suzuka race, the seven-time champion took heart from the improved handling of the W15 and the fact they almost halved their deficit to pole position around the high-speed track compared to F1’s last visit in September when they trailed Red Bull by a full second.
Hamilton, who outqualified Russell for the first time in four attempts this season, had described Friday’s sole dry practice session as the best of Mercedes’ difficult season so far and, after qualifying, praised Mercedes for the work completed on setting up the inconsistent W15 since the last race in Australia.
“I was giving it everything,” said Hamilton to Sky Sports F1 after lapping 0.569s off Max Verstappen on pole to qualify between McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
“The team did a really great job this past week making adjustments to our set-up – this is actually the first weekend I’ve not gone crazy with set-up and am not testing a bunch of things, so I’m back to a bit more normal.
“I think we’ve got the car into a much nicer working window and so it’s been really enjoyable driving, it’s just the guys [ahead] are just a little bit faster.
“We were a second or just over a second off last year to the Red Bull and seven [sic, six] tenths is better. Maybe if we had done something a little bit different maybe we could have been another tenth faster, maybe, but other than that that was everything.
“I think what it’s giving us is I know exactly where the car is not strong enough, I can feel it in the car, and I know now to be tell them to ‘push in this particular area’. But I’m hoping the race will be stronger tomorrow.”
Asked if that meant Mercedes had found a better direction to go in with the W15, Hamilton replied: “I personally believe so, yeah.
“What we have noticed is track to track it has been really, really hard to get the set-up right and it has been so far out each time. In some places it has felt like nothing we can do gets the car in a sweet spot.
“But this weekend it’s much more in the sweet spot and so I hope that continues in the following races, then we’ve just got to add performance.”
Hamilton: ‘Nicest it’s felt over the last three years’
Speaking to the written media at Suzuka, Hamilton added: “It’s been night and day difference over the weekend so far just in terms of how comfortable I felt in the car.
“I think we did a really good job this past week, the analysis everyone has done at the factory just to try and understand how we can get the car in the sweet spot.
“The car’s been much nicer to drive this weekend and particularly at a track like this where you need a nice balance, this is the nicest it’s felt over the last three years.”
More to follow…
Sky Sports F1’s live Japanese GP schedule
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Look back on some of the most exciting title deciders to take place at the Japanese Grand Prix.
Sunday April 7
5am: Grand Prix Sunday Japanese GP build-up*
6am: The JAPANESE GRAND PRIX*
8am: Chequered Flag: Japanese GP reaction*
9am: Ted’s Notebook*
9.30am: Japanese Grand Prix highlights*
10.30am: Japanese Grand Prix replay
*also live on Sky Sports Main Event
Formula 1’s biggest ever season continues with the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday, live on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports Main Event with lights out at 6am. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime
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