Lewis Hamilton says the moist circumstances supplied him and Mercedes with a possibility to be extra aggressive as he secured a entrance row begin for the Dash on the Chinese language Grand Prix.
Mercedes targeted on exhausting tire and excessive gasoline runs within the one free apply session on Friday, however then the staff seemed to be struggling on the medium tires in Dash qualifying. George Russell dropped out in SQ2 with Hamilton simply making it by way of, however a moist SQ3 noticed Hamilton excel to take second place behind Lando Norris.
“It was very difficult circumstances — not lots of grip, as you noticed for everybody,” Hamilton mentioned. “However yeah, so glad. As quickly as I noticed the rain coming, I used to be getting excited. Naturally in dry circumstances, we’re not fast sufficient, so when the rain got here, I believed I’d have a little bit of a greater alternative, and that’s sort of when all of it got here alive.”
Hamilton is hoping for extra moist climate for the Dash on Saturday as he believes the dry tempo gained’t permit him a lot likelihood of retaining his beginning place throughout the 100km distance.
“It actually relies upon what the circumstances might be. If it’s like that [wet], possibly we’ll have an opportunity of being someplace up there,” he mentioned. “I feel if it’s dry, then naturally the Ferraris and Crimson Bulls will come by. Perhaps we will maintain off a few of the others.”
Regardless of Hamilton’s pessimism, staff principal Toto Wolff informed Sky Sports activities he expects to have the ability to struggle with the likes of McLaren even in dry circumstances.
“I feel we should always have the tempo within the dry,” Wolff mentioned. “I don’t suppose we now have the tempo towards the Crimson Bulls — I feel we’re towards the McLarens. However once more, we don’t know as a result of we now have no knowledge from FP1. It could possibly be they’re much faster too, or the opposite manner round.”
Hamilton was provisionally on Dash pole when the checkered flag got here out as Norris had his greatest lap deleted, however Wolff had no complaints when the McLaren driver’s time was reinstated as a result of reality it was the earlier lap that he had gone off.
“I haven’t seen the element, I’ve simply seen he has been 4 tires off observe,” Wolff mentioned. “However truthfully, that was even slower, so he may most likely have gone sooner, so I’m OK with that.”
