© LAT Images for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd
Lewis Hamilton says “when you have performance in hand, you are not necessarily always having to make risky choices” to “get that extra half a tenth”.
Max Verstappen has been completely dominating Formula 1 for the past year and a half. There’s no doubt that a large part of his performance comes down to Red Bull’s superior car.
In previous years, Lewis Hamilton was in a similar position while Mercedes had the benchmark car, therefore, the Briton explains he understands what it’s like for Verstappen right now.
“Once you get on top of the car and the car works in this window, and it’s consistent, it’s much easier to get it into that setup,” Lewis said.
“When you are with a car like I have, for example, you’re trying everything, every different setup and combination to try and eke out a little bit more performance.
“But when you have performance in hand, you are not necessarily always having to make risky choices throughout practice in order to get that extra half a tenth.
“You don’t have to push the bodywork as tight as possible, put the engine on the rim of the temperature because you have a little bit of breathing space.
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“Then you don’t have to push the tyres as hard, so you can lift and coast a little bit more, which ultimately means longer stints. All these different things compound and the more you practice it, the easier it gets.
“But you still have a job to deliver, you still have to be focused and still can’t make mistakes, still have to make the right decisions and that comes with a lot of pressure.
“For me, it was easy just to stay focused on the job in hand and focus on the things I can control and making sure the team is consistently pushing forward.
“I never got tired of it or comfortable. It’s a great feeling when you know you have got a car you can compete with.”
However, Lewis says Mercedes is now in a different position.
“From our perspective, we know we are not fighting for a win, so it’s arriving hopeful that you can find a little bit of magic in the weekend.
“Every small decision, every position that you get in qualifying makes that difference and I would say I’ve been enjoying this more, for the short term,” Hamilton concluded.
