Hamilton: We need to get a few tenths back

In Barcelona, ​​Lewis Hamilton was on the podium for the first time this season…

Question: Lewis, welcome back to the stage. How happy is this result for you and the team?
Lewis Hamilton: A good result is always pleasant. Many thanks to the team for their great work, and to everyone on base who spent long hours preparing new items so we could put them in the car.

We are gradually closing the gap. We were also fast in Barcelona last year, so this result should not be overestimated, but we were competitive in the last two races. We still have to regain a few tenths. We will do everything possible for this.

Q: Will you continue to explore new products that are already prepared, or will you need more new products to reduce the backlog?
Lewis Hamilton: We are constantly refining the car, making small changes and continuing to optimize the settings. But yeah, there are a few more pieces needed to compete with these guys.

Question: Lewis, you said that Mercedes is improving. Do you think victory is just around the corner? And how important is it for you to end your Mercedes career with a win before the end of the year?
Lewis Hamilton: It would be nice. But first we need to achieve stability and see if we can go even higher. That’s the goal.

We can’t compete with them for wins yet, although George could win in Montreal. We’ll see in the next races. I hope we will cause them more problems in the next four or five stages. We have to keep improving the car. There are areas where we need to make improvements to combat these.

Q: What are your thoughts now on your decision to move to Ferrari next year? It seems that Ferrari is inferior to the car, but which one are you racing at the moment?
Lewis Hamilton: I love Mercedes. I’ve been working with them since I was thirteen and will always be a fan. And my task this year, at this moment, is to do the maximum with the team, with the people at the grassroots, to promote and develop the car in the right direction. Whatever the course of the team’s development next year, there are things I have been involved in – and I am proud of that.

Next year I will be working for another team that I think is doing a great job. They had some tough races, but they won in Monaco. I don’t know what’s wrong with their car and why they’re a little behind now. But they have brought new products to Barcelona and are also making progress. I have no doubts about my decision.

Question: You said you had a bit of bad luck during qualifying. What do you think is the key to improving your results? Is this due to the settings or a lack of speed?
Lewis Hamilton: The speed allowed us to show the third or fourth time. But the car was always on edge. This means that it is not in equilibrium. It is very rare for it to be balanced and turn smoothly. I’ve experimented a lot with settings over the years, but the car doesn’t like any settings except one.

Finally, the tires. I think we’re halfway there this weekend. If I can make some improvements in the next races, the car will become more efficient.