Lewis Hamilton has warned Mercedes’ F1 rivals that it is “game on” following a “surge” of performance in recent races.
A front-wing upgrade helped Mercedes form a strong package in Monaco, George Russell took pole in Canada and Britain and won in Austria, while Hamilton ended his longest 945-day win drought at Silverstone last time out.
For the first time in the ground-effects era, Mercedes looks a regular contender for race wins, currently fourth in the constructors’ standings, 74 points behind McLaren and Ferrari on 81.
Russell leads Hamilton 111-110 in the drivers’ standings, moving ahead of seven-time champion Hungary, a track he has won eight times and taking pole in 2023.
Max Verstappen and Lando Norris have been the main hurdles Mercedes have been trying to overcome during its run of form, and while Hamilton doesn’t think the hunger ring is make-or-break, he is keen to drop the challenge.
“I mean, I don’t feel like it’s a final test, I think every weekend is a final test of sheer morale and the consistency of our team,” Hamilton told the media. Racing News365.
“We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, that’s important in our approach, but ‘f—it, it’s the game.
“We fight, we chase, we try to beat as many as possible, we compete for as many victories as possible.
“Now, Red Bull or McLaren could be light years ahead this weekend, who knows?
“But what we’ve shown in the last few races is that with determination, with real focus, with a constant pursuit of perfection and improvement, you can make a difference.
“We’re united as a team and we’re going to make sure we finish the season on a high and if we can move the team up the ladder in the constructors, if we can move up, we’re not. It’ll be better than the drivers ahead of us.”
saying goodbye
2024 will be Hamilton’s final season at Mercedes before moving to Ferrari in 2024, but he is as determined as ever to turn the team around and feels “huge energy” has passed through Brackley as the team tries to revive it. condition.
“At the start of the year, I wanted to sign at the top, but results-wise, we didn’t know if we were going to get there or not,” Hamilton added.
“This season, we didn’t know we’d be fighting for wins, we’re very grateful and it’s a big boost.
“I don’t feel the spirit has left this team, but when you try and try and fail, it’s hard for everyone.
“Everyone is refreshed, the potential here and back at the factory and the hard work is really starting to pay off.
“We’re seeing a huge amount of energy that’s filtered through us – so hopefully that will continue to show in our results.
