Lewis Hamilton says he believes Mercedes are “closer to the front” at the Canadian Grand Prix after being encouraged by his car’s performance in Friday’s free practice in Montreal.
Mercedes have failed to keep pace with Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren through the opening eight rounds of the 2024 season, with Hamilton and teammate George Russell yet to secure a podium for the Silver Arrows.
However, in Friday’s two sessions in which the competition picture was difficult to assess due to unfavorable weather conditions, Hamilton was encouraged by how the W15 performed ahead of Saturday’s final practice and qualifying sessions.
“It’s too early to say,” said the seven-time world champion. “I feel like I’m combative, I feel like the car is reacting to my comments and I feel really confident.
“But we won’t know until we go out, and Saturday is often a different day for us, but hopefully tomorrow will be a good day. But I think in conditions (wet or dry) I felt really strong today. So I feel like we are closer to the front this weekend.
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Highlights from Friday’s practice at the Canadian Grand Prix.
Mercedes has gradually made improvements after a hugely disappointing start to the campaign, but opted not to use its new front wing in Friday’s wet conditions for fear of damaging it with a limited stock of updated parts.
Although teams and drivers have not been able to accumulate meaningful data in dry conditions, the fact that more rain is forecast for the rest of the weekend means that Friday’s testing could prove useful.
“It was great,” Hamilton continued. “I was just raring to go, just every second. I was just telling the guys ‘get out, get out, let’s go’. Just to maximize track time whatever the conditions.
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Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton narrowly avoid one of Montreal’s famous groundhogs during P2 of the Canadian GP.
“It’s a track where there are basic elements. It’s about spending as much time as possible on the track and understanding both conditions and the changes they have made to the surface and also to certain clearance areas.”
Hamilton finished second in practice, just over a second behind Fernando Alonso’s best time, but was close to pipping the Aston Martin driver, setting the first and second fastest sectors of the session before being delayed by traffic towards the end of the lap.
“It was a very good session, a good day,” added Hamilton, a seven-time winner in Canada. “The car was strong, so I really enjoyed the session.
“Obviously I couldn’t finish my (best) lap, but yeah.”
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Sky F1’s Ted Kravitz analyzed Mercedes’ upgraded front wing in Monaco.
Russell: The car feels good
Russell, who finished second to Alonso in Friday’s second session, was also cautiously optimistic about Mercedes’ prospects for what he expects to be an eventful Saturday.
“It was a lot of fun out there,” Russell said. “Hard to learn much because every lap the conditions changed. Spit, then rain, then dry, which was quite fun.”
“The car feels good but we probably won’t know until tomorrow.
“In FP3 you usually focus on your qualifying runs but we’re going to have to focus a bit on our race runs and then focus at the end of the session on the qualifying runs.
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Mercedes’ George Russell has his say on the radical new regulations that will be introduced to F1 in 2026.
“Then we will have to be very quick between the two sessions to make changes, because in all honesty neither team or driver learned much today.”
The latest forecasts suggest rain is possible on Saturday and Sunday at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, an eventuality which Russell believes would suit Mercedes.
“I felt confident in these conditions,” added the Briton. “You have to trust the car underneath you to push the limits when it’s constantly changing, and I did that, to be honest.
“So I think we’re in a good position if the conditions persist tomorrow. If it’s completely dry, honestly, we have no idea. But from the looks of it, the car feels good.”
Canadian GP live schedule from Sky Sports F1
Montreal hosts the ninth round of the 2024 F1 season with the Canadian Grand Prix
Saturday June 8
5:15 p.m.: Practice 3 of the Canadian GP (the session starts at 5:30 p.m.)
8 p.m.: preparation for qualifying for the Canadian GP
9 p.m.: Canadian GP qualifying
11 p.m.: Ted’s qualification log
Sunday June 9
5:30 p.m.: Grand Prix Sunday – Preparation for the Canadian GP
7 p.m.: THE CANADIAN GRAND PRIX
9 p.m.: Checkered flag – Reaction from the Canadian GP
10 p.m.: Ted’s notebook
Formula 1 is in Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix and you can watch every session at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve this weekend live on Sky Sports F1, with Sunday’s race at 7 p.m. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month subscription – No contracts, cancel anytime
