Lewis Hamilton rues ‘almost impossible’ issue jeopardising Mercedes’ US Grand Prix

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Mercedes will unveil their final upgrades for the 2024 Formula 1 season at the United States Grand Prix but Lewis Hamilton fears they face an ‘almost impossible’ scenario.

The Silver Arrows have utilised F1’s unofficial autumn break to produce new parts they hope will spark a positive upturn entering the run-in. Formula 1 will close the year with two triple-headers but Mercedes have little to play for after a difficult run of results since the summer.

Fourth place in the constructors’ championship is where Mercedes rank and is likely to be all the Brackley crew will seal. They trail Ferrari in third by 112 points but are 243 clear of Aston Martin. Hamilton and George Russell are also in sixth and seventh for the drivers’ standings.

Lewis Hamilton fears the US Grand Prix being a Sprint event will hurt Mercedes’ set-up

Hamilton and Russell can still rise the drivers’ standings with fifth-place Carlos Sainz ahead on 190 points to their 174 and 155 – eclipsing Sergio Perez with 144. But not since Hamilton won the Belgian Grand Prix after Russell was disqualified has the Briton achieved a podium.

Russell has even only taken one rostrum in the four rounds since the summer break with P3 in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after Sainz and Perez crashed. And Hamilton doubts how much Mercedes’ form will change at the US Grand Prix given a lack of practice at F1 Sprint events.

READ MORE: The most successful F1 drivers at the US Grand Prix at COTA and of all time

Sprint weekends only offer one 60-minute practice session before Sprint Qualifying. The 39-year-old thus fears Mercedes will struggle to get their set-up in the right window with them unveiling upgrades at the US Grand Prix that they hope will bridge their performance deficit.

“I remember that we came to Texas a year ago and the set-up was right from the first lap,” Hamilton said, via quotes by Speedweek. “But, from a lot of experience, I can say in 95 per cent of cases that is not the case.

“The fact is that it is almost impossible to research the finer points of new parts in just 60 minutes of practice. You simply do not have enough time.”

Lewis Hamilton will recall the consequences of Sprint weekends from the Chinese GP

Mercedes will run a substantial upgrade package at the US Grand Prix which will mark their final set for the 2024 season. The upgrades are also partly aimed towards helping the team understand their influence on the W15 ahead of the winter and designing next season’s car.

But Hamilton fears Mercedes will not tune their upgrades in time for Sprint Qualifying as F1 Sprint weekends offer such a reduced amount of time for testing. If they miss the mark, the Silver Arrows might then have to gamble on making changes ahead of Grand Prix qualifying.

READ MORE: The most successful F1 teams and engine providers at the US Grand Prix

Hamilton will have bleak memories from the Chinese Grand Prix this April where Mercedes did elect to change his set-up between the Sprint and qualifying for the main race. While he qualified and finished the Sprint in second place, Hamilton finished the main race in just P9.

Locking up at the hairpin cost Hamilton in qualifying for the Chinese GP as he only achieved P18 to bow out in Q1. But his progress in the race was limited due to the changes Mercedes made to the Briton’s set-up, which Hamilton called the worst set-up of his Formula 1 career.