Hamilton's Sprint Success Signals Mercedes Revival

In the Shanghai Sprint, Lewis Hamilton’s second-place finish marks a significant upturn for Mercedes, showcasing improvements and adaptability in challenging conditions.

Lewis Hamilton finished second in the Shanghai Sprint. The Mercedes F1 driver achieved his best result of the season, even though it was just a Sprint, and he praised such a performance. He also thanked the Chinese audience for the support he receives.

“The Chinese fans, every year I’ve come here, have been a huge support. I’m very happy and grateful. We couldn’t compete with the Red Bulls but it’s a big step forward,” declared the seven-time world champion.

“There was rain [in Sprint qualifying] and it was natural. The race was tough, we didn’t have the car to progress but I learned a lot about the car during this short race stint and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

Hamilton is aware that he may not be able to qualify again on the front row in dry conditions, but he hopes to continue making progress after this good Sprint, and wants to challenge the Aston Martins.

“I don’t think we are as fast as Ferrari, Red Bull, McLaren, and possibly Aston on one lap. We won’t be fighting for the front row, but the good thing is that we can make changes to the car and I hope to have as good a car as I have had in the past.”