After a disappointing qualifying exhibiting on Friday for the Miami dash race, with neither Hamilton nor team-mate George Russell making it out of SQ2, the seven-time world champion defined there have been no extenuating circumstances for what occurred.
As a substitute, he says that ending up greater than half a second adrift of pole place was a correct reflection of the place Mercedes stacks up in F1 proper now.
“I really feel like we extracted every thing from the automobile,” mentioned Hamilton, who begins Saturday’s dash from twelfth on the grid, one place behind Russell.
“And that is simply our tempo. You already know, we simply have to simply accept it for the second that we’re seven tenths off.”
Hamilton mentioned that whereas first apply in Miami had gone effectively as Mercedes appeared aggressive, the tempo simply fell away in qualifying.
“The automobile felt actually good in P1,” he mentioned. “After which P2, I imply, it did not really feel horrible, it was simply seven tenths off. I imply, that is simply I believe the tempo of our automobile.”
He added: “I believe the dash race goes to be powerful. I imply, we’re in twelfth. So do not count on an enormous quantity from there, to be trustworthy. It isn’t a simple circuit to overhaul on or to observe. So simply attempting to step into the factors one way or the other, if we are able to.”
George Russell, Mercedes F1 W15, within the pit lane
Picture by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photographs
Russell felt that Mercedes had been harm by its automobile not being as aggressive on the medium tyres which might be obligatory for the primary qualifying segments.
“In apply, the gentle tyre was feeling actually good on our automobile,” he defined. “The tempo was good; I believe it was P4.
“Then on the medium we simply could not get the candy spot and located ourselves on the unsuitable aspect of it. So, it was tight on the market.
“We should not have been within the place to be that near the margin to be lower off. And yeah, we have to work in a single day and make some enhancements for the primary quali.
“I’ve bought little doubt we’ll transfer ahead within the dash race. We have to attempt to get on high of our qualifying woes. It is at all times tough to combat with the automobiles forward once we begin on the again foot.”
