Lewis Hamilton Shares Promising Thoughts on Mercedes W15 in Pre-Season Testing

In a recent testing session in Bahrain, Lewis Hamilton expressed his positive outlook on the Mercedes W15, setting a hopeful tone for the upcoming F1 season.

Key Takeaways:

• Hamilton completed 123 laps in the W15 during the second day of pre-season testing, marking a significant improvement over its predecessor.
• He praised the car for being “much nicer to drive” and acknowledged the efforts of the Mercedes team in Brackley and Brixworth.
• Despite the progress, Hamilton pointed out the necessity for further development before the season begins.

Lewis Hamilton’s recent stint in the Mercedes W15 during pre-season testing in Bahrain has drawn considerable attention, with the seven-time world champion offering a blend of praise and constructive outlook for the Brackley machinery. Hamilton, who managed to complete 123 laps, lauded the car for its performance and handling, indicating a substantial improvement over last year’s model.

Reflecting on the day’s work, Hamilton said the following:

“It was a productive day out there. We gathered lots of learnings about the W15, both in our long running and single lap work.

“We’ve clearly made an improvement with this year’s car and it’s much nicer to drive. A big thank you to everyone at Brackley and Brixworth for the efforts they’ve put in to deliver that over the past year.

“I’m really grateful for all their hard work.”

Despite the positive feedback, Hamilton was candid about the car’s current standing in the competitive field, placing third-fastest for the day, a mere 0.4 seconds behind Sergio Perez. This gap, albeit small, leaves the placement of the cars on the grid a question mark.

“We’ve still got progress to make of course. But this is a good foundation for us to build on.

“We’ll keep our heads down and continue to work to find improvements, both over the rest of the test and into next week.

“I’m looking forward to being back in the car tomorrow morning and continuing that learning.”

Hamilton’s insights provide fans with a glimpse into the ongoing development and refinement process within the Mercedes camp, setting the stage for an exciting and competitive season ahead. As the team continues to fine-tune the W15, anticipation builds for the battles that lie ahead on the F1 grid.