P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes F1 car feels best it has all season, says Hamilton
Mercedes faced challenges with its W15 at the beginning of the campaign, but George Russell and Lewis Hamilton showed good performance in Suzuka’s morning free practice session, indicating progress made in solving high-speed weakness and tyre temperature issues. Hamilton described it as the best session of the year and praised the car’s improved feel, particularly on a circuit known for its difficulty. Despite past struggles, Hamilton expressed confidence in the current setup and emphasized the importance of stability going forward. Russell also noted the team’s positive surprise in FP1 and the ongoing efforts to enhance performance consistency in varying conditions. With high tyre degradation posing a challenge for qualifying, the focus will be on maximizing the opportunity for fast laps in a single attempt to advance.
