Hamilton worried by development: 'not in the wind tunnel at the moment'

The Mercedes team has struggled since the introduction of the new regulations in 2022. Whereas before that the team was constructors' champion eight times in a row, the silver arrows managed to win just one race since 2022.

In Imola, Mercedes did bring some new parts. Hamilton says he felt a small difference in the car because of the new upgrades: "Not a big difference. They are with small steps but very, very small."

In the race, Hamilton was again unable to compete for the higher positions. The Brit does say he had found some speed after his pit stop: "I think our pace, my pace in the second stint was comparable to the guys that are out towards the front. But we're still, I think we're still lacking two or three tenths."

Hamilton rings the alarm bell at Mercedes

The big question then is: when will Mercedes be able to compete for the higher positions again? Hamilton says he doesn't even know the answer to this question: "I cannot tell you. George [Russell] had four tenths, I had five tenths off yesterday. In race, probably three or four tenths. That's not in the wind tunnel at the moment development-wise."

This article was written in collaboration with Sophia Crothall.