Lewis Hamilton believes next two races offer Mercedes’ best chance for a Victory in 2023.
Lewis Hamilton is optimistic about Mercedes’ chances in the upcoming Formula 1 races, seeing them as the team’s “best chance” to secure a victory out of the remaining four rounds in the 2023 season. In the recent United States Grand Prix, Hamilton narrowly missed out on victory, finishing second behind Max Verstappen. Mercedes’ performance in Austin was boosted by an upgraded floor, which Hamilton described as the most noticeable improvement in the past two years.
Hamilton expressed his satisfaction with the upgrade, emphasizing its impact on the car’s rear end, which had been a particular area of concern for him. He noted that the enhanced confidence allowed him to push the car harder, translating into a performance gain greater than the anticipated one-tenth improvement.
While Hamilton and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc were disqualified post-race due to plank wear non-compliance, Hamilton emphasized that the disqualification did not enhance the car’s performance, and he remained proud of the progress Mercedes has made.
Hamilton believes that Mercedes is very close to securing a win, having come agonizingly close in the last race. He attributed the missed opportunity to strategy but remains confident in the team’s progress.
Reflecting on his winless streak since December 2021, Hamilton stressed the importance of Mercedes not beginning the next season at a disadvantage and urged the team to be competitive from the start to challenge Red Bull.
Hamilton highlighted the upcoming races in Mexico and Brazil as potential opportunities for Mercedes to secure a win, as they performed well in these events in the past year. He noted that with the right strategy, Mercedes could take the fight to their rivals.
All in all, Hamilton foresees that the next two races will be crucial for Mercedes, offering the best chance to secure a victory in the 2023 season, as they aim to close the gap with their competitors and end their non-winning streak.