Lewis Hamilton has expressed his confidence in Mercedes’ capacity to construct a more competitive car for the 2024 Formula 1 season, setting their sights on challenging Red Bull’s recent dominance. Following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the seven-time champion visited Mercedes’ facilities and conveyed his enthusiasm for witnessing the car’s evolution in the wind tunnel.
Hamilton shared, “It’s always the exciting time of the year because I have seen the car in the wind tunnel. I always go by the wind tunnel when I go to the factory and to see it evolving in whichever direction it ends up going.” He added, “But I have full faith in everyone that’s working on it, and I’m hopeful that we’ll be in a much more competitive position next year.”
During the FIA’s end-of-season prize-giving gala in Baku, Hamilton extended congratulations to Red Bull and Max Verstappen for their outstanding performance in the 2023 season. Despite finishing third in the championship, Hamilton believes Mercedes can bridge the performance gap to Red Bull.
“I have to say a big congratulations to Red Bull and to Max and Checo. They’ve done an incredible job this year. Max was faultless. The team really raised the bar, and we have a lot of work to close that gap. But I truly do believe that we can close that gap,” expressed Hamilton during the prize-giving ceremony.
Grateful for his team’s unwavering commitment throughout a challenging year, Hamilton acknowledged the initial struggles with a less competitive car. Despite these challenges, the team’s perseverance and dedication stood out. “We started off with the sister basically of the previous year’s car, which was not good and not fun to drive for most of the year, but no one gave up. Everyone continued to show up every day, and that was what was most inspiring for me,” Hamilton stated.
Looking forward to the 2024 season, Hamilton’s optimism rests in Mercedes’ ability to regroup and present a more competitive package, aiming to narrow the performance gap to Red Bull. The ongoing development work and the team’s commitment fuel Hamilton’s confidence in their ability to make a strong comeback in the upcoming year.
Leon Osamor
