The final time Lewis Hamilton reached the highest step of a Components 1 podium, Max Verstappen had but to win a Drivers’ Championship.
Might that change tomorrow?
Hamilton’s final victory got here on the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the penultimate race of that marketing campaign. As readers seemingly know Verstappen went on to assert the win — and the 2021 Drivers’ Championship — within the following race, the still-debated 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Since then Hamilton and Mercedes have struggled to return to type, however current upgrades by the group to their 2024 challenger, the W15, have improved efficiency on the monitor. Now Mercedes is coming off their greatest weekend of the season on the Canadian Grand Prix. Saturday in Barcelona Hamilton delivered his greatest qualifying efficiency of the yr, ending third behind Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.
Following the session, Hamilton made it clear: He’s “centered” on combating for a win.
“I’m going into tomorrow centered on attempting to struggle for the win. We’re in beginning spot with that long term down to show one,” stated Hamilton within the group’s post-qualifying report. “Degradation may also play a key position tomorrow and I believe our lengthy runs in follow regarded sturdy in that respect. I hope that interprets into Sunday and we will have afternoon.”
Hamilton won’t be the one Mercedes on the second row Sunday, as teammate George Russell certified proper behind Hamilton in fourth. On the opposite facet of the storage, Russell additionally believes the group can struggle on the entrance.
“On a circuit like this, the last word race tempo of a automobile will all the time win out. I believe our race tempo regarded good all through the weekend up to now and I hope we will struggle for the rostrum and probably victory,” stated Russell. “The current steps we’ve taken with the automobile are clearly serving to and we’re trying ahead to constructing on that momentum.”
It is going to be fascinating to see how Mercedes handles the technique choices on Sunday. Whereas each Norris and Verstappen are beginning in entrance of the Silver Arrows pair, having each Russell and Hamilton within the second row offers Mercedes some choices. Do they go together with a split-tire technique, or will we see each Hamilton and Russell on the identical compound to start the Spanish Grand Prix?
Hamilton hinted at some technique choices accessible to the group in Saturday’s FIA Press Convention.
“I believe these two [Norris and Verstappen] can be very fast, however place is every little thing … You understand, additionally there’s two of us, so hopefully we will apply strain as a group to each of the automobiles forward with a purpose to perhaps play out one thing in technique and slowly climb up,” stated Hamilton. “I believe it’s all about degradation tomorrow and the way you take care of the [tires], so we received’t know till we get into that first run.”
Mercedes enters Sunday’s race within the strongest beginning place of the season. Can they flip that into their greatest day of the F1 marketing campaign?
We’ll know quickly sufficient.
