P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Hamilton: Mercedes not yet “where we want to be”
The German manufacturer has made significant changes to its car for the current year to address the weaknesses that affected Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in 2023. Early testing of the W15 shows improvements, particularly in the rear end, but Hamilton believes they still have work to do to reach their performance goals. Despite recognizing Red Bull’s strong pace, Russell feels confident in Mercedes’ progress compared to last year. The team is focused on maximizing their current package and enhancing downforce to close the gap to the front. Mercedes’ trackside engineering director emphasized the improvements made to address previous handling issues and the team’s overall stronger position compared to a year ago.
