Lewis Hamilton has the potential to secure a place on the podium, but only if he quickly catches up to Carlos Sainz after the start of the race.
Mercedes made an impressive comeback after a disappointing start to the 2024 season. They even managed to secure a podium finish in the recent race, showcasing their improvements. However, Hamilton’s fifth place for the main race was unexpected.
Heading into the Austrian GP, Hamilton had high hopes of achieving great results throughout the weekend. He acknowledged that the team had made progress with the balance of the chassis on the Austrian circuit. However, the middle sector of the track did not favor the performance of the German manufacturer, as noted by the seven-time world champion.
Furthermore, the 39-year-old driver admitted that his pace during the qualifying race was not ideal. Mercedes still managed to improve their performance since the morning, especially in terms of the chassis. However, Hamilton emphasized the importance of overtaking Sainz as quickly as possible during the main race at the Red Bull Ring.
The Red Bull Ring is a short track with high speeds and three DRS zones, which guarantees exciting action in all sectors of the circuit. Therefore, Hamilton should not encounter many difficulties in overtaking Sainz, as long as he avoids making mistakes. The 39-year-old driver highlighted the extremely small difference between him and Sainz during qualifying.
Hamilton described it as a “crazy occurrence” to witness such a minimal difference between their results. Sainz was only 0.589 seconds ahead of Hamilton during the qualifying session of the Austrian GP. Consequently, Hamilton emphasized that such a small margin on such a compact circuit is far from common.
The Mercedes will continue to introduce more updates during the season to decrease the gap in relation to its rivals. The 2024 season is shaping up to be highly competitive for the championship, especially towards the end. Brackley has fallen behind in the constructors’ championship, losing significant points to its competitors.
