P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Mercedes issued warning by Hamilton over ‘worrying’ trend
Lewis Hamilton expressed concern over Mercedes’ substantial disadvantage to Red Bull in terms of speed, following his seventh-place qualification at the Japanese Grand Prix. Max Verstappen’s pole lap, over half a second faster than the rest of the field, highlighted the significant gap. Although Mercedes made adjustments to Hamilton’s car after a disappointing Friday practice, the team’s lack of pace remained an issue. Despite feeling more satisfied with his car during final practice and qualification, Hamilton was unable to challenge the Ferraris and McLarens for a higher position. Hamilton stressed that the team needs to address the rear downforce and close the gap to its main title rivals for next season. Additionally, he mentioned that everyone will face challenges with tyre degradation during the race.
Source: RacingNews 365
