From Nightmare to Dream: Lewis Hamilton Praises Mercedes’ Dramatic Turnaround in Singapore

‘A Complete Shift’ – Lewis Hamilton Praises Mercedes' Recovery After Difficult Practice Sessions

Lewis Hamilton commends Mercedes for their recovery after a challenging series of practice sessions in Singapore.

Lewis Hamilton praised Mercedes for their remarkable improvement at the F1 Singapore Grand Prix after experiencing a series of challenging practice sessions, likening the dramatic shift in performance to flipping a switch.

Lewis Hamilton secured the third spot on the starting grid for the upcoming race on Sunday at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. This marks only the fifth occasion this year that he has outperformed his Mercedes teammate, George Russell, in a qualifying session.

The seven-time world champion unexpectedly showed strong performance in qualifying despite facing difficulties with speed during all three practice sessions.

Following the practice session on Friday, Hamilton expressed doubts about the likelihood of reaching Q3 due to the difficulties they were facing.

In an interview with Sky Sports following the session, Hamilton was quite chatty, discussing the difficulties he has faced this year.

Hamilton expressed that qualifying sessions have been extremely challenging for him, particularly over the past year. He mentioned that he has been putting in significant effort to improve in this area. Hamilton also noted that maintaining a positive mindset and belief in himself has required considerable mental work.

"The races have been competitive. Throughout the year, I typically perform well in races, but poor qualifying results make things much more difficult. We entered this weekend with optimism, but the car was incredibly challenging to handle in the first practice session, as we were a second behind. Despite making significant adjustments for the second practice session, we remained a second off the pace."

"The team did an excellent job in the simulator last night, and we were all feeling hopeful because of it. Our spirits were high. However, in the P3 session, things took a turn for the worse, and we ended up being 1.2 seconds behind."

"The mechanics have been putting in a tremendous amount of effort, swapping out various parts. They’re unsure about what challenges lie ahead. As qualifying began, the car suddenly transformed. Right away, I sensed a strong connection and felt highly competitive. Although the final lap didn’t go as planned, I’m still quite pleased with the overall performance."

Anticipating the upcoming race, Hamilton is optimistic about his chances to compete with Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, who are currently leading.

Hamilton secured a third-place finish in the Singapore race last year, taking advantage of Russell's late crash during the final lap.

He remarked that it's hard to predict their performance in the race due to all the modifications they've implemented. He mentioned that the car's condition has improved and expressed hope that they can optimize its aerodynamics for better long-run performance tomorrow. He added that if they can keep up with their competitors, anything is possible on this track.

"Tire wear is going to be crucial. In my opinion, McLaren's car is incredibly fast with its adjustable wings—they're really on fire right now. I believe it will be challenging to surpass them."

"I'll remain optimistic and put in my best effort. We've observed these two competitors at the beginning of the race, and in racing, anything is possible. Our goal is to ensure I'm in a position to take advantage if an opportunity arises."

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