Lewis Hamilton has downplayed his chances of recovering to the front of the field in today’s German Grand Prix, saying the circuit is difficult to overtake on.
However he is hoping that changes to the DRS zone at the track will aid attempt to catch the midfielders from 14th on the grid.
“Whilst you have that nice, long straight at the back, it’s not that easy to overtake here,” said Hamilton. “It’s one of the hardest circuits, particularly following in this last sector.”“We do have a new DRS zone so maybe that will help, a longer DRS zone at the back so that might help. But it’s not an easy circuit.”
The Mercedes driver fell to 19th at the start of the last race at Silverstone and recovered to finish second. However Hamilton said that was possible because Silverstone is “open and wide and not as hard on the tyres as it is here”, and fears a similar drive won’t be possible today.
“It’s a different track to Silverstone. At Silverstone you could push for longer, we had better tyres there that no one would blister, we have tyres here that everyone’s seen blistering on.
“So it’s going to be interesting. I have no idea what I can and can’t do [in the race]. I definitely don’t expect to be where I was in the last race but it could go one way or the other and I’ve just got to try to have an aggressive, balanced race.
Daniel Ricciardo, who will start from the back of the grid due to a power unit change, said he was looking forward to making his way to the front in today’s race.
Asked about Hamilton’s low qualifying position, Ricciardo said: “I know he’s not happy but just from a TV point of view and a racing point of view it will be cool. Hopefully we can have a little battle, see who gets through the field quicker.”
“Daniel’s a super-optimistic person which is great, that’s why he’s loved so much by so many and that’s why he’s a great character in the field,” said Hamilton. “I will try to share the same optimism.”
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Martijn (@)
22nd July 2018, 12:20
He should team up with Horner who can do his share of whining as well now & then
Patrickl (@patrickl)
22nd July 2018, 12:26
Journalist: “Can we see another race like in Silverstone where you came all the way from the back to P2”
Hamilton: gives a perfectly normal answer to the question
F1 blog: Hmm what would be the best clickbait. Ah great lets go with the title above.
Random dufus on the internet: Why doesn’t Hamilton stop whining?
Prab
22nd July 2018, 12:59
Haha! +1
LB
22nd July 2018, 13:01
+1
David BR (@david-br)
22nd July 2018, 13:07
+2 The comment section’s slide into relentlessly dull-minded Hamilton bashing is starting to swamp everything else.
lucifer (@lucifer)
22nd July 2018, 13:23
@david-br this is very true
Dale
22nd July 2018, 13:25
…
Random dufus on the internet: Why doesn’t Hamilton stop whining?
Random Hammi Fan with a need to defend another man he defines himself by:
Journalist: “Can we see another race like in Silverstone where you came all the way from the back to P2”
Hamilton: gives a perfectly normal answer to the question
F1 blog: Hmm what would be the best clickbait. Ah great lets go with the title above.
petebaldwin (@)
22nd July 2018, 13:29
Of course, different rules apply when talking about Verstappen……
Drivers answer the questions they get asked. Journalists turn it into something you’ll click on. Readers comment on the headline.
Internet 101.
petebaldwin (@)
22nd July 2018, 13:29
Gabriel (@rethla)
22nd July 2018, 12:25
Just let Daniel take the lead and you will do just fine mate. Also let the team prep you for a few hours before the race assuring you theres nothing wrong with the car when they say there isnt so you dont have to take that discussion throughout the race again.
Martin
22nd July 2018, 15:51
@rethla yeah this comment looks awfully foolish now :)
Euro Brun (@eurobrun)
22nd July 2018, 12:31
I get the feeling that ANY track where he’s not on the front row is inevitably “one of F1’s hardest circuits for overtaking”.
Bored of talking. He’ll still be in the top 4, if not on the podium.
Euro Brun (@eurobrun)
23rd July 2018, 15:10
Obviously wasn’t too hard to overtake.
Throw in other’s misfortunes and team orders…
socksolid (@socksolid)
22nd July 2018, 12:37
He is going to be p5 in 10 to 15 laps. After that it is a bit harder to catch the faster cars.
Jere (@jerejj)
22nd July 2018, 12:43
How come?
Vettel fan 17 (@)
22nd July 2018, 13:03
Even if it’s somewhere like Hungary the top three team drivers can easily get back into the top six because of the massive pace advantage they have. Him and Ricciardo will easily be in the top six by lap 15 unless something very unexpected happens
anon
22nd July 2018, 13:11
Hammy talking down his chances as usual.
Under promise and over deliver.
Hammy still has the best engine in the grid no matter what the British media tell us.
GtisBetter (@)
22nd July 2018, 13:23
I agree. He is always a bit cautious when asked questions like this, but we all know he is going to finish in the top 5, unless he gets into some trouble in the crazy packed midfield start.
grat
22nd July 2018, 16:54
Not sure about that– A recent Ferrari patent surfaced where they’ve completely separated the two halves of the turbo, and they’re only “connected” by the MGU-H.
If Ferrari has implemented that in their F1 PU, that’s a game changer, and would explain Rosberg’s recent comments about Ferrari’s ability to generate huge amounts of energy from their MGU-H.
Dale
22nd July 2018, 13:28
Odd how Red Bull elected to take their engine change here specifically because there are opportunities to overtake … and how the rest of the drivers agree with that assessment … but Hamilton is preloading excuses and / or setting himself up for accolades beyond their worth if he manages a decent recovery.
Garns (@)
22nd July 2018, 15:42
It is, especially when your team says you are free to race but in fact you are not. I hope Bottas screwed them for more money because they did that to him today, poor form!!
MG1982 (@mg1982)
23rd July 2018, 5:30
The way he got through the pack in the race, overtaking the so-called best engine cars – Ferrari – way earlier than the braking point of Parabolika proves that he’s wrong, on purpose, and just playing the hero game again, trying to make it look harder than it actually is.
kpcart
23rd July 2018, 7:25
As it turned out for Hamilton, the easiest overtakes of his career, f1 is now definitely a 2 tier series.
anon
24th July 2018, 4:51
He was passing guys halfway down the back straight.
Even managed a pass into turn 1 such was the straight line advantage of the Mercedes.
I think Mercedes still have the quickest car.