Lewis Hamilton has not been shy about voicing his demands for upgrades from his Mercedes team as the Formula 1 season heads into its final stretch.
The British racing legend recently made a visit to the Mercedes factory during the break between the Japanese Grand Prix and the upcoming race at the Lusail International Circuit.
His objective: to inspire the team and gain insight into the team’s direction.
Hamilton’s frustration was palpable following the Japanese Grand Prix, where he extracted maximum performance from the W14 package but only managed a disappointing fifth-place finish, trailing both McLaren drivers and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
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Speaking to Sky Sports F1 ahead of the weekend’s action, Hamilton was questioned by Ted Kravitz, who inquired, “Am I right in that you were at the factory in the week between Japan and here?
“Was there good stuff that you saw?” Hamilton, wearing a smile, responded with an air of secrecy, saying, “I can’t tell you, man, I can’t tell you.
“It’s all top-secret stuff.”
Unsatisfied with this cryptic reply, Kravitz pressed further, “We all want to know whether you’ve seen something that is spicy, is interesting, is gonna get you where you wanna be.”
In response, Hamilton shared his experience as a non-aerodynamicist, emphasising the excitement of visiting the wind tunnel.
He explained, “No matter what point of the year you go in there’s always new bits coming, there’s bits in the bucket and you know there’s just stuff being tried all the time.”
Hamilton conveyed his awareness of the team’s collective dissatisfaction with their performance over the past few years and their hunger for improvement.
He stated, “Everyone is unhappy with where we are and where we’ve been for the last couple of years.
“I know they’re hungry.
“And that for me, I’m like okay I know these guys, I know they’re chasing and they’re doing absolutely everything they can.
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“So I’m able to then bring that into the weekend.”
As Mercedes finds itself locked in a fierce battle with Ferrari for second place in the Constructor Championship, the pressure is on to deliver impactful upgrades in the remaining six rounds of the season.
With a 20-point advantage to protect, the Silver Arrows are acutely aware of the need to maximise their performance and maintain their competitive edge.