Optimism after strong race in Barcelona
The Mercedes Formula 1 team showed a strong performance in Barcelona and even reached the podium with both drivers. That after a radical change of the car. Lewis Hamilton therefore dares to think about a possible title fight again.
The once dominant Mercedes team has been struggling with the car for almost a year and a half now. The W13 was a failure and the current W14 did not deliver what the team had hoped. In Monaco, the ‘W14B’ appeared, essentially the W14 with completely different, more classic side pods. In Monaco, the upgrade yielded little, but in Barcelona Mercedes was suddenly remarkably strong. Strong enough for Lewis Hamilton to be quite optimistic about the possibilities in the near future.
The seven-time world champion dares to dream out loud again of a battle with Red Bull. “I know we’ve got some in the pipeline for later, so I’m hoping maybe we can challenge them at least at the end of this year,” he said. Motorsport Week on. The fact that the W14 now looks a lot stronger is not only a boost for this season: “I am even more focused on next year’s car, that we can compete with it from day one. The further we can take the car this year push, then that also has an impact on next year’s car.”
Does that mean that Hamilton underestimates where Red Bull is now and what that team can still pull out of the hat? Not at all: “I think today (Sunday, ed.) They were at least a few tenths ahead of us, maybe half a second per lap. They are still so far ahead and Max will continue to win this year, but it also means that they could start developing earlier for next year. Earlier than anyone else, if they’re not already doing that. That’s the danger.”
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