Talking in regards to the 0.078-second hole between them as they lined up fifth and seventh, Hamilton was desirous to counsel that he by no means had any lifelike likelihood of beating Russell due to their different-specification automobiles.
“The group has labored actually laborious again on the manufacturing unit to deliver an improve within the final two races and likewise an improve this weekend – however we solely had one, which George has,” he informed Sky. “I anticipated it could be troublesome to outqualify George as a result of he has the upgraded part.
“As soon as we get to qualifying, I do not perceive. I already know robotically that I will lose two-tenths going into qualifying.
“That is positively irritating and it is one thing that I do not actually have a solution for in the meanwhile. I am not driving any totally different. The laps are actually nice. Simply, I do not know.”
Hamilton went on to counsel that he didn’t anticipate to ever outqualify Russell once more this season, after which later informed the written media that he didn’t know what was taking place to his automotive on Saturdays.
“For the reason that begin of qualifying, it is like… I do not know if it is a turn-down or one thing of efficiency,” he mentioned. “However efficiency comes away from my automotive, for some purpose. So, a bit irritating that we’re solely seventh.”
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15
Picture by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
Hamilton’s remarks may very well be interpreted as a touch that issues weren’t totally equal at Mercedes – and even perhaps that Russell was being given preferential therapy as a result of he’s the one who had the wing.
In any case, Russell is remaining with the group subsequent 12 months whereas Hamilton has already determined to maneuver on and be part of Ferrari.
Nonetheless, the truth of how Mercedes selected which driver ran the wing was not a matter of selecting one over the opposite.
As an alternative, Autosport understands that, with the group conscious it could have just one model of the wing, the choice of working the brand new wing was given to each drivers and it emerged that Hamilton made clear that he most well-liked to not go together with it.
Firstly, there was the need to have a extra steady platform all through observe and qualifying so he might construct up his confidence across the observe – moderately than threat switching round configurations.
Plus, with the brand new wing being a special specification to the model run up to now this season, there was an added threat from heading into qualifying with no spare.
With parc ferme guidelines in place, if the wing had been broken in an incident, then a change to revert to the opposite specification would have meant a breach of those laws – and a pitlane begin.
Whereas Hamilton might have been a bit annoyed by realizing that he had a little bit of an obstacle this weekend, the group is at the very least certain issues can be completely equal subsequent trip in Canada.
As Mercedes trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin mentioned: “We’ll have that on each automobiles for the following race in Montreal.”