Lewis Hamilton says Formula 1 is in for “a hellish second half of the season” considering how many teams are capable of battling for victory.
Seven drivers from four different teams have won races in the first 14 rounds this year, with Sergio Perez currently the only driver from Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes yet to record a victory. Hamilton has won two of the last three races – and Mercedes three of the last four – and said having so many different teams and drivers in contention provides a wonderful foundation for the post-summer break.
“It’s great,” said Hamilton. “I think it’s really fantastic that the sport has such close teams and drivers. And the pedigree of the drivers at the top today is really first class and amazing.”
“After our start, we didn’t expect to be able to compete with the McLarens or the Red Bulls at this point in the season. Now that we’ve caught up, the second half of the season is definitely going to be tough as hell.”
Hamilton says Mercedes’ progress is partly due to improvements that have given both him and teammate George Russell more confidence in all types of corners.
“Overall, the car is … We feel more comfortable in the car,” he said. “The balance of low to medium to high is much more in line with our goals.”
Although Russell was stripped of victory in Belgium because his car was too heavy during post-race checks, he agreed with Hamilton that the rest of 2024 should be exciting and said he expected several teams to be in position to challenge for the title next season.
“I think it’s been a difficult few years for all of us to get the car to a point where we can consistently fight for wins,” said Russell. “But I’m so motivated and so excited for the second half of the season, which ultimately leads to 2025. And when you look at the competition now, there’s no reason why we can’t fight.”
“If the season started in Montreal, the championship standings would look very, very different. So it will be great. I think all the other teams are very motivated to get back to the top, McLaren, Ferrari and ourselves. So it will certainly not be easy and hopefully we will have a tough fight next year.”
