Lewis Hamilton receives Mercedes upgrade with George Russell qualifying claim revisited
Lewis Hamilton doubts that Adrian Newey’s departure will cause Red Bull to collapse.
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.
Hamilton is not only trailing his team-mate in the Drivers’ standings but also in the qualifying head-to-head with a score of 1-7, eight races into this year’s championship.
Lewis Hamilton trails George Russell 1-7 in F1 2024 qualifying
During his last appearance in Monaco, he attributed his recent qualifying loss to the effect of Mercedes’ new front wing, which had only been installed on Russell’s W15.
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 that decision quite easy for us.”
Following one race, Mercedes has now acquired sufficient parts to permit both drivers to use the wing in Montreal, where Hamilton aims to gain a point over his teammate.
When questioned if he intends to out-qualify George this weekend, he responded: “I’ll try.”
He expressed optimism about securing his first grand prix podium of the season in Montreal, stating, “I don’t think it’s far away.”
“So, we’ve managed to get the upgrade. Both cars will be utilizing this upgrade over the weekend. I’m eager to see how it actually feels on the track.”
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 commented on the upgrade and the progress of Mercedes, saying, “The car is steadily improving. I believe everyone has hopefully moved a step closer to the Red Bulls, which is a positive development.”
“But I am immensely proud of everyone back at the factory, for their hard work and resilience. They are all maintaining a strong focus, keeping their heads down.”
The team’s morale is really high, so I’m optimistic that we can catch up to our competitors and start truly vying for the lead.
He further stated, “I believe the most significant enhancement this year has been the ride quality and our ability to lower the car, something others have managed to do before us. Also, the stability when entering corners has improved.”
The car has become significantly more predictable than it used to be, especially in the last few years. This year, in particular, it’s much more stable, allowing us to commit more into the corners. However, we are lacking in corner balance, an area where some competitors have made great strides.
“That’s what we’re attempting to work on.”
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
