Hamilton at a Loss: Mercedes F1 Struggles Continue at Singapore Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton confesses to feeling "adrift" following a challenging initial day at the Singapore Grand Prix, despite his exhaustive efforts with the Mercedes F1 vehicle.

Lewis Hamilton expressed feeling "disoriented" with his Mercedes Formula 1 vehicle following Friday's practice session at the Singapore Grand Prix.

The seven-time world champion was only able to secure the 11th quickest lap during the second practice session, lagging almost a second behind McLaren’s Lando Norris, who led the field, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc closely following.

Hamilton expressed dissatisfaction with the balance and handling of his car during the second free practice session, frequently voicing concerns over insufficient grip.

Despite experimenting with various adjustments to the setup, Hamilton acknowledged that none of these alterations had any impact on his W15.

"Driving the car feels… It's quite challenging," Hamilton stated following the second practice session.

"It was an extremely difficult day. No matter what adjustments we made, nothing appeared to improve our set-up. It was indeed a tough day; we put in our all, only to discover we're a full second behind."

"I believe we're slightly confused and uncertain about the car's placement. Despite numerous attempts, our efforts have yielded similar results."

Inquired about Mercedes' potential position in the qualifying round, Hamilton stated, “Currently, I don’t see myself making it into Q3.”

George Russell, who is part of the Mercedes team, also had a difficult time, finishing in seventh place. His session came to an abrupt end when he crashed into the barriers at Turn 8 following a lock-up of his

"Friday posed significant difficulties for us; we simply couldn't match the speed," Russell described.

"It's crucial to grasp the reason behind this. I'm confident that tonight will shed some light on the situation. After making significant adjustments from the first to the second free practice, the car doesn't seem to be performing as cohesively as it did this same period last year or in the previous races."

"Thus, we must endeavor to uncover the root of the issue."

The Mercedes pair trailed behind Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda's Red Bulls, with Hamilton additionally finishing behind Williams' Alex Albon and Nico Hulkenberg from Haas.

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