P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Hamilton blames Mercedes concept for Suzuka struggles: ‘We have to change it’
The Mercedes team, with drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, qualified seventh and eighth, respectively, for the upcoming race in Japan, securing the fourth row of the grid. Hamilton was over a second slower than pole sitter Max Verstappen, with the majority of Mercedes’ deficit occurring in the first sector. Hamilton believes that the team’s issues in the first sector are directly linked to the car’s concept and advocates for a change in design by 2024. Despite struggling in qualifying, Hamilton expressed satisfaction with the adjustments made overnight and felt more confident in the car’s performance. He hopes for a better race tomorrow and acknowledges the significant progress made by other teams, such as Aston Martin and McLaren, in their car designs.
Source: Crash
