F1 News
Hamilton struggling to P6: 'I can't get the potential out of the car'
- GPblog.com
Lewis Hamilton is facing a car behind the top teams for the first time in a long time this season. Mercedes has missed a clear battle this season and as a result, were already behind Red Bull Racing and Ferrari at the start of the season. Whereas George Russell is finding his way with the Mercedes car, things are not running as smoothly for the seven-time world champion.
In Barcelona Hamilton qualified sixth just behind Sergio Perez and Russell. Behind them, the difference with Valtteri Bottas and Kevin Magnussen is also not very big. As a result, the Briton is anything but satisfied with his own development this season, he explained to the BBC.
No more porpoising in Barcelona
"The car has potential to be third or fourth and I am not able to pull that out of the car." That the car has fourth place in it, Russell showed. He will start behind the favorites for victory at Barcelona on Sunday and, in the event of possible problems, he can get back on the podium. In the standings, the difference between the two Mercedes drivers is easy to see. Whereas Russell has already scored 59 points this season, Hamilton has to make do with 36.
"I am still way off. I just struggle with confidence in the rear of the car. I don't know how to get around that." A big problem for Mercedes and Hamilton was also the porpoising they suffered from in the first Grands Prix. Since Miami, those problems seem to have been largely resolved. "We don't have the bouncing in the straight line. We still have some bouncing in turns three and nine but the car's a lot better," Hamilton concluded.