2022 was the first season in Lewis Hamilton’s career in which he failed to win a race; the Mercedes driver claimed his first pole since December 2021 at last weekend’s Hungarian GP; It’s a Sprint weekend! Watch Belgian GP Qualifying at 4pm on Friday live on Sky Sports F1
Last Updated: 27/07/23 5:48pm
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Lewis Hamilton says the Mercedes has progressed a ‘huge amount’ this season compared to where they started in Bahrain and the ‘hard work’ gives him hope the team is going in the right direction
Lewis Hamilton says the Mercedes has progressed a ‘huge amount’ this season compared to where they started in Bahrain and the ‘hard work’ gives him hope the team is going in the right direction
Lewis Hamilton said changes to Mercedes’ 2023 car are helping him rediscover his full “potential” as he addressed whether self-doubt has impacted him amid the team’s recent struggles.
The 2022 season was the first in Hamilton’s career in which he failed to win a race, as Mercedes were caught out by the introduction of new design regulations and left to watch Red Bull and Max Verstappen dominate.
Hamilton was also beaten by his team-mate over the course of a full season for just the third time in his career, while George Russell also claimed Mercedes’ only win of the campaign in his first year with the Silver Arrows.
Despite Mercedes remaining off Red Bull’s stunning pace in 2023, Hamilton has produced a strong run of form, which was capped with a first pole position since December 2021 at last weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
Asked whether he had experienced any doubts about being able to recapture his best form during the lean run, Hamilton said: “I think that’s a bit of a personal question and I probably don’t want to go too much into that.
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Lewis Hamilton pips Max Verstappen to claim a record 9th pole position at the Hungaroring
“Last year was difficult with the car we’ve had, and particularly just not finding myself gelling with the car that we had built, and therefore just not being able to live at the potential that I know I’m able to compete at.
“When you’re hindered with the balance, and that’s similar for so many drivers.”
After Mercedes started 2023 in similarly poor form to the preceding campaign, Hamilton publicly criticised his team for failing to heed his guidance on development direction.
Major changes followed as James Allison returned as technical director in place of Mike Elliott, while the team abandoned the zero-sidepod concept they had pursued since the start of 2022.
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Martin Brundle shares his most memorable moments from the Belgian Grand Prix ahead of this weekend’s race at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
There have been positive results for Hamilton following the introduction of major upgrades to the W14, with the Brit finishing in the top four in five of the six Grands Prix since.
“The goal is to steer the direction of the development so that you can eventually show your potential and what you’re capable of,” Hamilton said on Thursday ahead of this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.
“Through really hard work I think we’re starting to get there, and I think you’ve started to see that, particularly from Monaco onwards, I’ve had much more consistent performances, and then the pole position we had in the last race, really felt very reminiscent of the olden days for me.
“So that gives me hope that we are going in the right direction, hopefully the same for our team.”
‘Hungary pole was overwhelming and emotional’
Hamilton says the record-extending 104th pole of his career, which came in dramatic circumstances as he edged Verstappen by three thousandths of a second, was “overwhelming” and “emotional” for him.
“On the Saturday night, I think it was overwhelming, it was very emotional. It was an emotional feeling to finally be back there,” he said.
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Watch Lewis Hamilton’s pole lap in full as he makes it a record ninth at the Hungaroring
“I called my dad, had a great conversation with my dad. Then after that, I stayed until late, just preparing for the next day.”
A nightmare start, which saw Hamilton overtaken by Verstappen, along with McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, scuppered his hopes of pulling off an unlikely victory.
Hamilton said: “I was told from the team, ‘look, we’re not fighting for the win here because they’re just too quick, unfortunately.’
“You can’t beat a car that’s over half a second faster per lad in race pace, and from practice that’s how it was.
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Watch the opening seconds of the Hungarian Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton lost the lead to Max Verstappen on the first bend
“So in my mind I was trying to figure out how to pull a rabbit out the hat and prove them wrong, obviously.
“And then sitting on the grid, it felt right, it felt back to where I’d been for a long time in my career, so it felt great to be up there, to be leading the formation lap.
“It didn’t go how I planned, but stuff happens… Live to fight another day.”
Sky Sports F1’s live Belgian GP schedule
Thursday July 27
2pm: Drivers’ Press Conference
Friday July 28
8.55am: Formula 3 Practice
10am: Formula 2 Practice
12pm: Belgian GP Practice One (session starts 12.30pm)
1.55pm: Formula 3 Qualifying
2.50pm: Formula 2 Qualifying
3.35pm: Belgian GP Qualifying build-up
4pm: Belgian GP Qualifying
6pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
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Look back at some of the most dramatic moments throughout the years at the Belgian Grand Prix
Saturday July 29
8.55am: Formula 3 Sprint Race
10.30am: Belgian GP Sprint Shootout build-up
11am: Belgian GP Sprint Shootout
12.40pm: Formula 2 Sprint Race
2.30pm: Belgian GP Sprint build-up
3.30pm: BELGIAN GP SPRINT
5pm: Ted’s Sprint Notebook
Sunday July 30
7.25am: Formula 3 Feature Race
8.55am: Formula 2 Feature Race
12.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday – Belgian GP build-up
2pm: THE BELGIAN GRAND PRIX
4pm: Chequered Flag – Belgian GP reaction
5pm: Ted’s Notebook
Next up is the Belgian GP, the final race before F1’s summer break – watch all sessions of the Sprint weekend live on Sky Sports F1 from July 28-30. Stream the Belgian GP and more with NOW.
