Lewis Hamilton suspects Mercedes are likely to get it”hard to overcome” rejuvenated Ferrari in F1’s forthcoming races – but has endorsed the world champions to rise to the revived challenge.
On a track, against all expectations in Singapore that demands high downforce – a 2019 Ferrari weakness – that the Scuderia finished first and second in Sunday’s race to expand their winning run to three races – their best order for 11 years.
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Mercedes have suffered three successive defeats that were race-day for only the second time in the previous six seasons.
And with Ferrari seemingly having found a breakthrough with their car on paths which do not demand horsepower – that the SF90’s established strength – Hamilton is currently anticipating a more constant struggle.
“I am a realist, therefore I see the situation we’re in and they’ve just come up with some sort of upgrade that’s possibly put their auto… maybe they’ve had a good car all year and it simply wasn’t working in the right window,” explained Hamilton on Sunday night.
“Who knows, because it’s unlikely they’ve brought a massive, massive upgrade that is brought 20-30 things [of downforce] to a thing that performance-wise is probably what you’d expect they’ve accepted here.
“But obviously their car works well everywhere today so it is likely to be somewhat tough to beat them, particularly as they’re so fast on the straights. We can not compete together on the straights right now.”
Mercedes should’pull our socks up’
Despite the winning streak of Ferrari, Hamilton and Mercedes’ consistent type prior to the August summer break means that they stay firmly on track to defend their world titles.
Hamilton really extended his title lead into 65 points over team-mate Valtteri Bottas, while Ferrari writer, Leclerc, will be 96 points adrift with 156 points to perform for over the last six races.
“We have won previously with not the best automobile but it’s really how we provide the weekend.
“At the moment they are delivering better from the operations area. Today I did enough in the race to come out and lead but the processes that are whole did not get the job done. So we have only got to re-huddle, reunite together, work and proceed forward”
The world champion added:”Of course it has got tighter and tighter as the year has gone , we operate on this, but in precisely exactly the identical time we have only got to be doing a much better job.
“We’re doing such a great job at the beginning of the year and we’ve got this difference, but the gap could go. I am under no illusions – it’s not won yet.
“We’ve got to pull our socks up. Collectively we can do better. But we win and lose as a team and all of us do not feel good at the moment.”
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