There is no doubt that Lewis Hamilton has suffered a lot due to the poor Mercedes car since last year. But the new Monaco upgrades to their W14 car raised hopes of his fans and the team that they are finally moving in the right direction. On top of that, Mercedes is planning to launch two new upgrades before the summer break.
There are still four races to go before the F1 teams get a break. But it still looks a lot far for the former champions to pull things back this season. Their rivals, Red Bull, once again performed exceedingly well in the Qualifying as well as Sprint session of the Austrian Grand Prix. It was none other than Max Verstappen again who finished at P1. Vividly, the RB19 car looks better than ever and especially at the home of the team. The table toppers are willing to extend their streak at the Red Bull Ring circuit. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton had a terrible time in the qualifying session of the Austrian GP. And the seven-time champion is once again blaming the Mercedes car and the sprint format.
Lewis Hamilton Is Unhappy With The Car, Criticizes The Sprint Format
After Hamilton finished at P5 for the main race qualifying, the seven-time champion was very open about his disappointment. The Mercedes driver told Sky Sports that the sprint races do not matter as it is about having fun. And he will have fun from the back this weekend. Adding to that, Hamilton asserted, “It is what it is. I just don’t feel anything about these sprint races.” He believes that, apparently, it is essential to focus on the job, but Mercedes could have done better. And the car is taking a little step every race. Hence, the Briton just hopes to catch up with Red Bull by the end of the season.
But looks like criticizing the sprint format may not sit well with the F1 bosses as they have increased the number of races of this format. It is just the second sprint race of the 2023 season, and there is more to come. Moreover, Lewis Hamilton is upset with the Mercedes W14. In the car radio, Hamilton mentioned, “These are terrible tires. And very bad usage of the tires.” It has been a while since Lewis Hamilton got knocked out of the Q1 session. The last time it happened was in Saudi Arabia last year. Moreover, Mercedes struggled with hydraulics, as George Russell complained about it. He could not put a single lap time in SQ2. Hence, the 25-year-old Mercedes driver will start the race from the 15th position.
The Seven-time Champion Feels The Red Bull Ring Circuit Doesn’t Suit W14
On the other hand, Mercedes is not very hopeful about the Grand Prix in Austria. Especially the circuit does not suit Mercedes cars, according to Lewis Hamilton. Not just this year, but even in the last few years, Mercedes did not have much luck in Austria. Moreover, it is the second sprint race of the year. Even the current double-time champion, Max Verstappen, is not a big fan of this format either.
But the RB19 car might help the team get another victory at home this time. But things may just worsen for Mercedes this weekend. The F1 bosses have increased the sprint sessions to engage the fans more. But the decision has not sat well with the drivers. However, people expected Lewis Hamilton to do well in Austria.
