Tough Day at Suzuka
Gutted Lewis Hamilton has admitted that he won't be winning the Japanese Grand Prix after a difficult day of practice sessions at Suzuka. The Mercedes driver, who finished third in Singapore, struggled to find pace and finished P16 and P14 in the sessions.
Disappointment and Struggle
Hamilton expressed his disappointment, saying, "It was a really bad day, to be honest. A real struggle out there." He acknowledged the significant gap between him and the frontrunners, noting that they were "two seconds off in the first session and over a second off in the second."
Working on Improvements
The seven-time world champion emphasized the need to work on the car's balance and performance in high-speed corners. Hamilton stated, "Our car has, more often than not, been a bit weaker in the high-speed corners." He highlighted the importance of finding the car's sweet spot to prevent overheating the tires.
No Reasons for Optimism
When asked about his improved FP2 time providing any reason for optimism, Hamilton replied, "Nope! It was a really bad day, to be honest." Despite the challenges on the track, Hamilton has been keeping himself entertained off it by visiting Universal Studios Super Nintendo World and engaging in remote-controlled car races with fellow driver Esteban Ocon.
Supporting Fellow Drivers
Hamilton was also seen supporting Sebastian Vettel as he participated in environmental initiatives at the Suzuka circuit. He helped build 11 "insect hotels" and painted Turn Two with black and yellow paint.
These setbacks and challenges at Suzuka have dampened Hamilton's hopes of securing a victory this weekend. He will now focus on making improvements overnight to salvage the race and support his teammate George Russell.
