Lewis Hamilton may have only managed to qualify seventh for the Japanese Grand Prix but he insists his Mercedes has not felt better in three years.
The seven-time world champion will start from the fourth row at Suzuka, with team-mate George Russell in ninth.
While from the outside that would suggest Mercedes once again struggled with an underperforming car 바카라 like much of the past two years 바카라 Hamilton was in good spirits following Saturday바카라s qualifying.
Having lamented the gap to pole-sitter Max Verstappen over the team radio during the session, he had a more positive outlook in the aftermath.
바카라The car has been much nicer to drive this weekend바카라 this is the nicest it has felt in three years,바카라 he said.
바카라I think we did a really good job over the last week, just the analysis we바카라ve done at the factory to get the car into a sweet spot.
바카라This weekend it바카라s much more in the sweet spot and so I hope that continues in the following races. Then we바카라ve just got to add performance.
바카라I think we바카라ve got the car into a much nicer working window and so it바카라s been really enjoyable driving, it바카라s just the guys are just a little bit faster.바카라
Hamilton has amassed just eight points from the opening three races of the 2024 campaign and retired last time out in Australia.
The early signs are Mercedes face another year of chasing the fastest cars rather than challenging for victories 바카라 but the Briton, who will race for Ferrari from next year 바카라 feels things are starting to look up.
Asked if he believes Mercedes are now heading in the right direction, Hamilton replied: 바카라I personally believe so.
바카라We were a second or just over a second off last year to the Red Bull and seven tenths is now better,바카라 he added.
바카라I think what it바카라s giving us is I know exactly where the car is not strong enough, I can feel it in the car, and I know now to be tell them to 바카라push in this particular area바카라. But I바카라m hoping the race will be stronger tomorrow.바카라
Mercedes were hit with a Euros5,000 (£4,290) fine for an unsafe pit lane release of Russell at the start of qualifying.
Russell will start the race from his lowest grid slot this season but he believes it will be a close battle with the cars in and around him.
바카라I think it바카라s just so tight out there between ourselves McLaren, Ferrari and Aston Martin,바카라 he said.
바카라If you nail your lap you are up at the front of that pack, and if you don바카라t you will be at the back of that pack, we knew that this circuit was going to be a slight challenge for us. We know our limitation in the high-speed corners.바카라
