Lewis Hamilton fears Mercedes are “further behind” than in F1 2022 | "Hard to close gap with our concept"

Lewis Hamilton fears Mercedes are starting the new F1 season “further behind” than they did in 2022 and has expressed doubts over the team’s concept. 
Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes A
Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes A

The seven-time world champion was the fastest Mercedes in eighth but was 0.636s off the pace of 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Fernando Alonso’♏s benchmark time during second practice𝕴 at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

Hamilton, who was already 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:resigned to a difficult start to the season, admitted Mercedes are a “long way off” early pac🍸esetters Red Bull and Aston Martin.

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“We’re kind of where we were last year, if not further behind,” Hamilton said.ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ 

“It’s difficult for everybody and it’s really not where anyone in the team wants to be and certainly not where anyone in the team deserve🎉s to be. They work so hard and are so courageous and thoughtful in their process. 

“We’re just on🏅 the wrong track. So we have to graft away and find a way to get ourselves on the right track. Right now, we’re a long way off the guys at the front.”

Hamilton also appeared critical of the design of Mercedes’ W14, which has retained the radical ‘zero sidepod’ concꦫeꦐpt first adopted on the team’s troubled predecessor.  

“I have to be hopeful,” Hamilton said. “There was good prog💛ress last♛ year but the gap wasn’t as big as it is now. 

“Do I believe we can close the gap at ♛some stage? Yes. But I think it’s quite hard wit🅰h the concept we have.” 

Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 W14. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 1, Bahrain Grand Prix, Sakhir, Bahrain,
Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 W14. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 1, Bahrain Grand…

Asked if the🐻 long or shꦑort tun was more comfortable, Hamilton replied: “Neither. They are very, very similar. 

“We 𓄧are offset in low and high. Red Bull’s long runs were ha🌸lf a second per lap faster. So we have a lot to work on.” 

Hamilton added: “I got the car to the best p⭕lace I can get it, set-up-wise. 

“We will continue to tweak little bits here and there but they will ꧙be sma✨ll bits, here and there - milliseconds, nothing to close the gap of a second. 

"We will keep our heads down tonight, we will go through the data, work and try to progress tomorrow.&n🔯bsp;

“We have got to find out if there is any way we can add p🍷erformance o𝔉vernight.” 

George Russell (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 W14. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 1, Bahrain Grand Prix, Sakhir, Bahrain,
George Russell (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 W14. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 1, Bahrain Grand…

Teammate168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史: George Russell, who finished down in 13th, said: “There are a few teams looking strong - Aston Martin are the biggest surprise, they have clearly doܫne a good job over the winter,” he explained. 

“We need to loo🀅k over the data last week to this week to see what we l🐼earned. We made big changes and we need to see if they worked.

“The wi🧸ndow that the car was se🍌t up in. The car feels better but that doesn’t mean it is faster. We also have a new rear wing - we need to see if it’s operating as we expect.

“Clearly, we want t💃o be higher up the timesheet than we are. That is no secret.

“We need more downforce, more lap time. It’s a new car a𝐆nd we need to reach its full potential.” 

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