BREAKING NEWS: Hamilton wants more… on long…read more
Hamilton wants more… on long…read more
Lewis Hamilton expressed a mix of optimism and caution following the first day of practice at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. The seven-time Formula 1 World Champion was particularly pleased with his performance in the second practice session, where he topped the timesheets, but emphasized that improvements are still needed, particularly in the car’s long-run performance.
Hamilton completed a solid number of laps on the opening day, benefiting from the newly resurfaced track and smoother kerbs at Monza. Reflecting on the day’s progress, Hamilton noted that the changes to the circuit presented unique challenges. Despite this, he felt comfortable in the car right from the start of practice. He acknowledged that some teams, including Mercedes, had encountered issues with tire graining during the first practice session. However, adjustments made ahead of the second session resulted in a noticeable step forward in the car’s performance.
While Hamilton’s pace in the short runs was impressive, he stressed the need for further work to be done on the car’s high-fuel configuration. As Mercedes continues to strive for competitiveness, Hamilton urged for improvements to ensure they could maintain their edge throughout the entire race weekend. “There’s still some work for us to do overnight both here and at the factory, particularly around the long run, so we can be as competitive as possible over the rest of the weekend,” Hamilton said. His comments reflect the team’s ongoing efforts to find the right balance between qualifying pace and race-day performance.
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff also echoed Hamilton’s sentiments, noting that while it was a productive day, the team would need to keep refining their setup to ensure they are in the best possible position for the remainder of the weekend. The resurfaced track at Monza, which appears to be evolving as more rubber is laid down, adds an extra variable that teams will need to stay on top of as the weekend progresses.
The day was not without drama for the Mercedes camp, as young Italian driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli suffered a high-speed crash in the first practice session. Antonelli, who has been making waves in the junior categories, lost control of his car in what was described as a significant accident. Fortunately, the driver was unharmed, and his crash did not result in any serious injuries. Both Hamilton and his teammate George Russell expressed relief that Antonelli was OK after the incident, with Russell in particular praising the mechanics for their swift work in repairing the car ahead of the second session.
Russell, who had to sit out much of the first session due to the repairs, managed to get back on track in time for FP2 but acknowledged that his fastest lap time was not entirely representative of the car’s true pace. He focused primarily on long-run data collection rather than outright lap times, which left him a little out of sync with the rest of the field.
Reflecting on the day, Russell commented, “Firstly, I’m glad to see that Kimi was OK. It’s never nice to see a crash that size, and the first thing that matters is that he wasn’t hurt. The mechanics did a great job to get the car ready for FP2.” Russell added that the resurfaced track seemed to be evolving quickly, and the team would need to remain alert to changes in track conditions as the weekend unfolded.
Overall, despite the challenges faced, Mercedes ended the day on a positive note, with plenty of data to analyze as they aim to refine their car for the upcoming sessions. With Hamilton leading the way in FP2, and Russell gathering crucial long-run data, the team is cautiously optimistic about their prospects for the remainder of the weekend at Monza.
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