Hamilton's bad news after Miami: 'Not like I have a one-second upgrade coming'
Hamilton finished sixth in Sunday’s Miami Grand Prix, over 50 seconds behind eventual race winner Max Verstappen.
As Mercedes look to turn their season around in F1 2023, they’re pinning their hopes on a significant technical upgrade for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix next month.
Mercedes have scored just one podium in the opening five races of the season, with their level of performance swinging consistently from being the second-fastest team in Australia to the fifth-fastest in Miami qualifying.
Speaking about the upcoming Miami update, he said: “Well, it’s all a bit of an unknown. It’s not like I have a one-second upgrade coming, which is what I need.
“But it’s something. It’s a step in the right direction, hopefully, for us to really be able to progress.”
Reflecting on the race itself, Hamilton was pleased with his recovery from 13th on the grid to finish sixth.
“I don’t know about the strategy,” he added. “I don’t know if that was optimum. Maybe it was.
“It was definitely difficult at the start, being in the DRS train with a bunch of cars, and trying to get past the Williams which is always quick on the straights. Eventually I was able to start making headway.
“Once I’d done my stop, and got back out on the hards, I was able to really push.
“The car came alive midway through the race. From 13th to sixth, I’m pretty happy with that. I enjoyed the race, I had a lot of fun, just making my way through. It’s nice to have a battle with people.
“Thank you to the team for keeping their heads down and continuing to push."
