Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes ‘can really take combat’ to Red Bull at Mexico City Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton has taken confidence from the efficiency of Mercedes’ upgraded automobile in Austin; watch the Mexico City GP dwell this weekend on Sky Sports F1, with observe up first from 7.30pm on Friday. Sunday’s race is at 8pm

Lewis Hamilton believes Mercedes “can really take the fight” to Red Bull at this weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix.

A remaining main improve of the season introduced to Mercedes’ W14 at final weekend’s United States Grand Prix gave Hamilton a automobile that would have completed forward of world champion Max Verstappen if it hadn’t been for a poor technique selection.

Hamilton in the end misplaced his second place after Mercedes had been discovered after the race to have breached a technical regulation by operating the automobile too low to the bottom, however the seven-time world champion stays vastly optimistic in regards to the affect of the updates.

Asked in Mexico City on Thursday about his prospects at the occasion and subsequent weekend’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Hamilton stated: “I definitely think it’s always difficult to be able to say, ‘hey, it’s going to be good here, it’s going to be good there.’

“But now we have positively taken a step ahead and over these subsequent 4 races I can not predict which one we’re going to be nearer and which one we could or will not be additional away.

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Sky F1’s Anthony Davidson was at the SkyPad to analyse Lewis Hamilton’s race and the way shut he was to taking the win in Austin.

“I think we were close here last year, so hopefully we’ll be a little bit closer maybe this weekend.

“If we get the technique proper this weekend, possibly we are able to really take the combat to them.”

Red Bull have won all but one of this season’s 19 Grands Prix, while Mercedes’ only victory since new design regulations were introduced at the start of the 2022 season came at last year’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix, with George Russell leading Hamilton home in a one-two.

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Look back at some of the most dramatic moments to have taken place at the Mexico City Grand Prix.

He added: “And then Brazil was a terrific circuit for us final yr, and if it seems we’re nearer once more there, then that is two nice sturdy races for us.

“And then when you go to Abu Dhabi, I think the gap gets bigger again, so it’s these next two that I think we have our best chance.”

Verstappen expects ‘powerful’ weekend | ‘Not our greatest monitor’

Mercedes’ hopes of claiming a primary 2023 victory may be boosted by the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez not being the best-suited circuit for the dominant RB19.

Verstappen, who’s searching for to break the document he set final yr by claiming a sixteenth win of the marketing campaign in Mexico, is anticipating Red Bull to have a number of challengers.

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Red Bull driver Max Verstappen insists respect for all drivers is essential after he was booed at the United States Grand Prix.

“I personally don’t think this is our best track on the calendar,” the Dutchman stated on Thursday.

“Looking at the behaviour of our car this year, with the low-speed corners and the kerbing as well, our car’s just not very good on that.

“So I do anticipate it to be powerful, particularly over one lap. The race, I do not really know. Normally we have been all the time fairly respectable in race trim, however over one lap I do assume it is going to be fairly a decent battle.

“Not only Mercedes, I think Ferrari as well, McLaren – lately they’ve been very strong as well over one lap.”

‘I used to be ready to ship it extra’ – Hamilton explains improve features

Hamilton’s disqualification in Austin got here after the skid pads beneath the plank of his automobile had been discovered to have worn past the authorized degree in the course of the race.

The Brit insisted on Thursday that any efficiency acquire on account of operating the automobile decrease than is allowed was minimal, and that the upgrades had been the principle issue behind his season-best show.

After a vastly disappointing 2022 marketing campaign, Mercedes caught with a flawed design philosophy that they ultimately deserted earlier this season, which had left Hamilton pissed off each at the automobile’s efficiency and at his viewpoint having not been sufficiently thought of within the design course of.

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Ride onboard as Lewis Hamilton ultimately will get previous Lando Norris after a superb tussle for second at the Circuit of the Americas.

However, he says the modifications carried out at Circuit of The Americas have lastly given him the arrogance to discover his finest type.

He stated: “Well firstly being able to feel the upgrade is one thing, which of course that’s always what they hope you would do, but just with the way our car has been over the past year, we’d add something and you wouldn’t be able to feel it.

“Rear finish is all the time the world that I’ve all the time needed improved, significantly due to the shortage of rear finish you’ve gotten, that insecurity to assault the corners.

“The step that we took there just gave me the confidence to be able to send it more, and I need more.

“It was a terrific feeling from lap one, and I feel due to that, most likely if it was a tenth improve, I most likely acquired two tenths out of it simply due to the additional confidence that I used to be ready to carry all through the race.”

When to watch the Mexico City GP dwell solely on Sky Sports F1

Friday 27 October
7pm: Mexico City GP Practice One
8:45pm: The F1 Show
10:45pm: Mexico City GP Practice Two (additionally on Sky Sports Main Event)

Saturday 28 October
6.15pm: Mexico City GP Practice Three
9pm: Mexico City GP Qualifying build-up (additionally on Sky Sports Main Event)
10pm: Mexico City GP Qualifying (additionally on Sky Sports Main Event)

Sunday 29 October
6.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday Mexico City GP build-up (additionally on Sky Sports Main Event)
8pm: The MEXICO CITY GRAND PRIX (additionally on Sky Sports Main Event)
10pm: Chequered Flag: Mexico City GP

F1 is in Mexico for the center leg of the Americas triple header. Watch the entire Mexico City Grand Prix weekend dwell on Sky Sports F1 from Friday, with Sunday’s race at 8pm. Stream F1 on Sky Sports with NOW