Lewis Hamilton: Mercedes driver ‘didn’t expect’ second place at Mexico City GP as George Russell reveals brake issue

Lewis Hamilton produced a superb drive to complete second to Max Verstappen in Mexico Metropolis; George Russell was hampered by a brake subject as he got here sixth; watch each session from the ultimate Dash occasion this yr in Sao Paulo -starting this Friday reside on Sky Sports activities F1,

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Lewis Hamilton says he has whole religion in Mercedes and that they’ll construct a fantastic automobile after seeing development with a second-place end within the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton hailed taking an “superb” second place within the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix after coming from sixth on the grid to complete behind Max Verstappen.

Hamilton was left upset on Saturday as Mercedes struggled to get their tyres into the optimum working window in qualifying, however discovered a extra passable stability within the W14 within the race.

The consequence reignited Hamilton’s hopes of denying Crimson Bull a primary ever one-two within the drivers’ championship, together with his deficit to second positioned Sergio Perez lowered to twenty factors after the Mexican retired from his dwelling race.

“Truthfully, I simply wasn’t anticipating that. It is simply at all times a fantastic feeling when you find yourself simply placing one foot in entrance of the opposite and progressing,” Hamilton instructed Sky Sports activities F1.

“The weekend had been actually tough in comparison with the final race the place we had simply hit the bottom working. This weekend I used to be actually digging deep to try to get the set-up proper and I feel we did a fantastic job.

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Highlights from the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix on the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

“Qualifying was a bit difficult and to be far behind the Ferraris, we have to end forward of them to maintain the constructors’ [position] so that is what I used to be pushing for immediately.

“To have progressed so nicely via the early part of the race and be difficult for a podium after which a second place is superb. I’m actually proud of the race.”

Hamilton gained a spot in the beginning when Perez was pressured to retire after colliding with Charles Leclerc.

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Lewis Hamilton passes Daniel Ricciardo down the principle straight on the within to maneuver as much as fourth within the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix.

He overtook Daniel Ricciardo for fourth after 10 laps however acquired caught behind Carlos Sainz, who had simply sufficient tempo to maintain the Mercedes driver at bay.

Hamilton undercut Sainz, so was in third place when the race was stopped by a crimson flag after Kevin Magnussen’s huge crash at Flip 8 on the midway level of the Grand Prix.

Mercedes bravely put Hamilton on medium tyres for the restart, whereas the opposite main runners had been on hards. It paid off although because the seven-time world champion made a daring transfer on the within of Leclerc, briefly placing two wheels off the observe to get previous the Ferrari driver and take second place.

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Lewis Hamilton makes a daring transfer to cross Charles Leclerc into second place of the Mexico Metropolis GP.

Increasing on the place the W14 had improved from Saturday, Hamilton added: “I feel the automobile is simply fairly peaky in qualifying on mild gas, however if you put a load of gas within the automobile, it simply feels nicer to drive and I feel we struck a very nice set-up this weekend and significantly immediately for the race.

“Apart from that, simply actually good tyre administration. I usually loved it. It is not probably the most bodily of races, being that you would be able to’t push all the way in which, you are saving, you are doing 200 or 300 metres of lifting and coast to maintain the automobile cool and cease it from failing.”

Wolff: Sensible drive from Hamilton

It was the second successive occasion the place Hamilton has proven sturdy tempo, after he pushed Verstappen shut for the win in Austin, solely to be disqualified for extreme plank put on.

Mercedes crew principal Toto Wolff was impressed by Hamilton’s efficiency, particularly on the medium tyres within the second half of the race because the 38-year-old set the quickest lap of the race on his ultimate circuit.

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Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen had been within the cool-down room to evaluate a chaotic Mexico Metropolis GP which noticed crowd favorite Sergio Perez crash out on the primary lap.

“The smile on our face is as a result of the automobile was sturdy. As soon as Lewis was in free air, we had a lot margin within the medium. The lap instances had been good and quickest lap on the finish,” Wolff instructed Sky Sports activities F1.

“It has been just a few weekends now the place we are saying we ‘might have’ however did not. I feel we have to qualify higher. Most likely with the straight line velocity we would not have been so aggressive in opposition to Max, however who is aware of, the tempo is there.

“It was a superb, good drive from Lewis. We now have these oscillations in efficiency and we do not actually know typically if the tyres stick. Only a few levels of observe temperature and you might be out of the window.”

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Max Verstappen wins the Mexico Metropolis GP choosing up his sixteenth win of 2023 which is a brand new document for a driver in a single season.

Russell explains ‘horrible’ finish to race

George Russell, within the different Mercedes, had a irritating race as he discovered himself on the again foot when caught behind Oscar Piastri within the opening phases stint.

Russell wasn’t comfortable in regards to the timing of his first pit cease as he got here out in site visitors and was seventh when the race resumed following the crimson flag.

He overtook Piastri and Ricciardo however could not discover a well past Sainz, who defended nicely to carry onto fourth place.

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George Russell displays on ‘one other’ tough weekend as he was left annoyed together with his brakes overheating throughout the Mexico Metropolis GP.

Throughout this battle, Russell overheated his brakes and misplaced a place to a charging Lando Norris and solely completed half a second forward of Ricciardo on the chequered flag to take sixth.

“The final 20 laps had been horrible,” Russell mentioned.

“The tempo was actually sturdy after the crimson flag. I felt actually good within the automobile, I used to be proper behind Carlos and simply could not fairly make the overtake, then my brakes overheated and we had been involved we would not make it on the finish and I needed to again of.

“As quickly as I did that, I misplaced all of the temperature in my tyres and I might by no means get better it and it was like driving on ice.

“I used to be fortunate to complete in P6. Story of the weekend – one other tough one and it is a disgrace as a result of the automobile was performing nicely.”

F1 heads straight to Brazil for the ultimate leg of the Americas triple header and the final Dash weekend of the 2023 season. Watch each session from the Sao Paulo Grand Prix reside on Sky Sports activities F1 from Friday, with Sunday’s race at 5pm. Stream F1 on Sky Sports with NOW