Mercedes to deliver ‘bigger improve’ to British GP as Lewis Hamilton says workforce ought to flip focus in direction of F1 2024

Lewis Hamilton made it back-to-back podiums for the primary time in 2023 with third on the Canadian GP; Mercedes are 13 factors forward of Aston Martin within the constructors’ championship; F1 returns with the Austrian GP stay on Sky Sports activities F1 from June 30 to July 2

Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant

Lewis Hamilton is happy with the improved efficiency of his Mercedes just lately after ending third on the Canadian Grand Prix.

Mercedes will deliver a big improve to the British Grand Prix, workforce principal Toto Wolff has confirmed.

Lewis Hamilton adopted up his second place on the Spanish Grand Prix with third in Montreal on Sunday, after a race-long battle towards Fernando Alonso.

Traction out of the low-speed corners was the primary space wherein Hamilton misplaced time to Alonso and Max Verstappen – an space he has inspired the workforce to work on.

The seven-time world champion is 15 factors behind Alonso, who’s third within the drivers’ championship going into subsequent week’s Austrian Grand Prix, with Silverstone following every week later.

“We’re bringing a bigger one to Silverstone, then we must always have one other one earlier than shutdown. It is simply that the learnings have accelerated lots since we modified a few of them conception structure, and there needs to be respectable steps coming within the subsequent 4 races,” defined Wolff.

“For us we did not anticipate to carry out right here in Canada as a result of how the automotive DNA is in the mean time is extra for the high-speed corners, so it is encouraging not be not so far-off, however one should not overlook that Max is cruising within the entrance.

Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant

Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso nearly collided within the pitlane as they battled over second place earlier than the Aston Martin driver accomplished the overtake on lap 22.

“Perhaps cruising is the incorrect phrase. Max continues to be having a neater time within the entrance, not cruising, however nonetheless I feel there’s margin, so there’s fairly a spot to catch up.”

Requested if Mercedes have been near competing for wins, Wolff answered: “No, I feel that the margin continues to be too huge to essentially be considering that Max is below strain. I do not know the way a lot it was this race, perhaps two tenths a lap or so, however nonetheless far off.”

Wolff assured Mercedes can repair rear finish points

Hamilton was overtaken by Alonso shortly after the mid-race security automotive restart in Canada because the Aston Martin driver bought higher traction out of the Flip 10 hairpin, which led to the longest straight on the monitor.

There have been a number of moments when Hamilton seemed to be mounting an assault of his personal to get Alonso again, however he was not capable of get inside DRS vary of his former team-mate.

Wolff says Mercedes can enhance their traction, which can be much less of an issue in Austria and at Silverstone.

Lewis Hamilton completed behind Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso on the Canadian Grand Prix

“That was the issue of the automotive all alongside since we began final yr. We’ve a powerful entrance however we nonetheless trailing and nonetheless not adequate and we have seen that as we speak, notably out of the low-speed corners with traction and stability,” mentioned the Mercedes workforce boss.

“I feel we are able to repair it, however it’s aero, it’s the mechanical idea – that is all intertwined, there’s not one factor.”

He added: “I feel we’re understanding higher the simulations, the time correlates with what we’re seeing on monitor, and that is been our downside over the past one-and-a-half years.

“We’re seeing good efficiency positive aspects which might be coming in within the tunnel, we’re seeing higher understanding of what the automotive wants as a way to go quick, what the setups must seem like. So usually the steps are getting larger now, I feel we’re making good inroads.”

Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant

Highlights of the Canadian Grand Prix, the eighth race of the season.

Hamilton suggests Mercedes transfer focus to 2024

Hamilton’s look ahead to a victory goes on – his final win got here in December 2021 on the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

And the Briton has instructed that Mercedes start to divert their assets in direction of subsequent yr, given the work he believes Pink Bull are already placing in on their 2024 mannequin.

“We’re positively getting nearer. It should be a battle of growth, I suppose, over the remainder of the season. I reckon Max’s workforce are already engaged on subsequent yr’s automotive, so we have to take our eye a bit bit off the ball and deal with subsequent yr additionally however yeah, completely happy to be up there.

“In fact, it does not really feel an enormous distinction to the start of the yr. There are some parts of the automotive which do really feel totally different and clearly with the improve but it surely’s simply merely simply have a bit bit extra downforce on the automotive.

“However the traits of the automotive are very, similar to what we had earlier on within the yr and so we have to… for the longer term, for the subsequent yr’s automotive, that you must take a variety of these various things off and alter them for positive.

“It is positively not the automotive that… characteristic-wise the automotive that is going to have the ability to beat the Pink Bull simply but, so we have started working on that.”

Pink Bull search to proceed their successful run in 2023 as they return to their dwelling monitor for the Austrian GP – watch stay on Sky Sports activities F1 from June 30-July 2. Get Sky Sports