Lewis Hamilton believes victory is once again within his reach, while Carlos Sainz Jr. would like to claim a second in a row this weekend at the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Austria.
It took 150 starts for Sainz Jr. to finally triumph at Silverstone last Sunday, and Hamilton took the opportunity to record a second consecutive podium – a concrete sign that Mercedes are making progress.
The holder of seven F1 World Championships has won at least one race in each of his last 15 F1 campaigns, and he only needs one more victory to surpass Michael Schumacher’s mark and set another record, to go along with his 103 wins and 103 career No. 1 finishes.
However, Hamilton’s Mercedes team has had trouble adapting to the new regulations and “ground effects” – the floorboards of the single-seaters create a phenomenon of “porpoising”, which causes them to bounce on the track at high speed.
His two consecutive podiums nevertheless allow him to believe that his next victory is close, having triumphed for the last time 12 races ago, at the Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia in 2021.
“If we keep digging and working tirelessly, then we will get close. I sincerely believe that we can win a race this season, said the Briton. Earlier this season, I was really doubting this car’s ability to win a race. »
His pace at Silverstone, where a safety car prevented him from genuinely aiming for victory, reassured him greatly. However, he believes Sainz’s Ferrari and championship leader Max Verstappen’s Red Bull are superior to his Mercedes.
“We had the potential to aspire to victory at Silverstone, but with our current performance we cannot seriously hope to compete with the two teams ahead of ours,” he admitted. The stars had to be aligned (at Silverstone), so the safety car towards the end of the race torpedoed our chances. I believe that everything in life happens for a reason. It was Carlos’ weekend, it was written in the sky that he was going to get this win. »
Sainz Jr.’s father is a two-time rally champion with 26 career victories.
His son now knows what it’s like to be in the winner’s circle, and he wants to relive that moment.
“This win made me hungry, and I want to get back on the top step of the podium as soon as possible, fight for the win as often as possible,” said the 27-year-old driver. It’s very intimate, and it’s hard to describe what’s going through someone’s head. I can only tell you that I feel good, and that I took the time to think about it. »