Lewis Hamilton Unleashes Mercedes' Full Potential in Thrilling Barcelona Practice
Lewis Hamilton was ecstatic with his Mercedes' performance after topping the timesheets in the second practice session at the Spanish Grand Prix, attributing the improvement to strategic changes made post-FP1.
Fresh off a high from their stellar performance in Canada, the Silver Arrows demonstrated their prowess yet again in Barcelona. Hamilton clocked a sensational 1m 13.264s in FP2, narrowly edging Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz by a mere two-hundredths of a second.
FP2: Hamilton sets the pace during second practice in Barcelona ahead of Sainz and Norris
Despite his advanced age of 39, Hamilton was quick to credit the feel of the W15 for his performance but highlighted that there's still work to be done to stay competitive throughout the weekend.
“P1 was so-so,” Hamilton candidly shared after Friday’s activities. “We shifted the car’s settings significantly, and we learned a lot from that session. In P2, the car felt substantially better. The changes we made really paid off, and today, the car felt excellent.
“The heat made the track quite challenging, especially on the tires during long runs, but it seems we’re not far off. I’m not overly focused on the lap times; I’m more encouraged by the car’s improved setup.
“We have some overnight adjustments to make to keep up with the Red Bulls, Ferraris, and even the McLarens.”
As the weekend progresses at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Hamilton emphasized the continual development of the W15 that his team has been working tirelessly on.
“Everyone at the factory has been working relentlessly, year after year. With clearer goals, we now understand better where we want the car to go,” Hamilton reflected on the team’s efforts.
“These incremental improvements and the consistent hard work are starting to show in our performance and comfort level as drivers. It’s fantastic to see the transformation on track.”
Hamilton’s teammate George Russell also showcased Mercedes’ capabilities, finishing eighth in FP2. Showing a cautiously optimistic front, Russell was effusive about the team's performance on Friday.
‘We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves’ – Russell cautiously optimistic after strong Friday for Mercedes
“I feel good,” Russell commented. “The car’s behaving really well here. Lewis topping the timesheets is a fantastic sign.
“I was particularly strong on the medium tire, and our long-run pace in FP1 was competitive. While it’s only Friday, it's been a while since we’ve been this consistently at the top end.”
FP1: Norris heads Verstappen and Sainz in Barcelona first practice as Alonso brings out red flags
Discussing his strong performance, Russell noted, “This morning, the long-run pace was outstanding. We might have been the fastest this morning in longer runs, even if our qualifying pace wasn’t quite up there. But in the afternoon, our qualifying speed looked promising.
“This is the kind of consistency we’ve been chasing. We need to remain grounded, though.
“Lewis put in a stellar lap in FP2, but we know the Red Bulls often dial it up for qualifying. Max [Verstappen] will be fierce competition, as will the McLarens and Carlos [Sainz], so we’re in for a tight fight.”