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After a heartbreaking loss in the 2021 Driver’s Championship, Mercedes have continued to struggle. With a slightly below-par car, the dominant Silver Arrows have failed to win a single race so far. But despite these struggles all-British duo of Lewis Hamilton and Geroge Russell have managed to take Mercedes second in the Constructor’s championship.
Addressing this achievement, the seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton praised his younger teammate George Russell as he has done an ‘amazing job’ in his debut season in a new team. “It's incredible, he's done an amazing job,” said Hamilton after the Australian Grand Prix.
“He did an amazing job today, had great pace, he's been so solid these first three races. He's working and really grafting away; he's doing an amazing job.”
“Will that be the case with this new car?"
Hamilton then continued talking about the expectations from the season and said, “I prefer to stay optimistic. There are 20 races to go. If you think realistically with the way our sport goes in terms of everyone's development… the top teams often develop at a similar pace, a similar rate.
“Will that be the case with this new car? Who knows, but I am really, really hopeful we can get in the fight soon. But with every bit of improvement, we will probably make, [Ferrari] and Red Bull will probably make a similar sort of step, so it's not going to be easy. And yes, the gap is pretty big right now but there is a long way to go.”
“We’ve got some improvements that we need to make,"
While talking about the next race in Imola, Hamilton opined, “We’ve got some improvements that we need to make, and we need everyone's support in doing so. Just making sure we leave no stone unturned, and we are maximising absolutely every moment. So, a lot of Zooms chasing the people in the wind tunnel, the aero guys, just looking at absolutely every single area.
“There is performance to be gained in areas that we know – and we need it now, not in two or three races… As a team, we’ve just got to keep up that encouragement, keep that energy high. I'll be on the simulator in prep for the next race,” he added.