P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Hamilton on a ‘knife edge’ with Mercedes car in Japan qualifying
The seven-time champion struggled greatly in practice and qualifying, failing to break into the top 10 in both sessions. Hamilton finished seventh in Q3, ahead of his teammate George Russell. Hamilton credited overnight changes for his improved performance but noted that Mercedes still lacks the rear downforce necessary to challenge other cars. He mentioned that the car is difficult to balance and is either prone to oversteer or understeer. Hamilton will start behind Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and acknowledged that it will be challenging to overtake on the track. He expressed the need for Mercedes to close the gap to Red Bull over the winter.
Source: Motorsport Week
