Red Bull leads by 30 seconds at Suzuka

(Motorsport-Total.com) – In Singapore, Mercedes fought for the win in the final laps. But at the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, different winds will blow in Formula 1, says Lewis Hamilton.

© Motorsport Pictures

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton sees Red Bull clearly ahead of Mercedes at Suzuka

Zoom in

The seven-time world champion does not expect a repeat of Red Bull’s performance seen in Singapore, but he considered the team’s poor performance just a one-time stumble. “I think: if Red Bull [in Japan] “If you’re not 30 seconds ahead like you were before, then something’s going on.”

“Obviously Red Bull had a tough weekend [in Singapur]. But the car should be exceptionally powerful for Suzuka. Red Bull’s performance has been exceptional all year. “In principle, the team excelled at every track,” says Hamilton.

Hamilton raves about the Red Bull RB19

In fact: Singapore’s Marina Bay Circuit was the first track in the 2023 Formula 1 season at which Red Bull did not win. In Singapore, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz marked the first time this year that a Red Bull driver did not win.

But a fast, winding road like Suzuka’s should suit the RB19 just fine, says Hamilton. “It must be great to see the car. Usually you come here and think it’s nice to see Red Bull doing their laps here. The whole team and the drivers are doing a really great job with this package,” he enthused.

How Hamilton rates Mercedes’ chances at Suzuka

And Mercedes? Will the star brand’s factory team be able to build on recent form from Singapore at Suzuka? After all, George Russell and Hamilton were last involved in the battle for victory at the end of the race.

But Hamilton does not want to overestimate Singapore and questions whether it was “really” the case that Mercedes was able to keep up with the pace of the leaders. His thesis: “Sanz split the race” and Mercedes was only “relatively close”. “But: it was a great race, precisely because there were so many of us at the front.”

“I’m not going out this weekend [in Suzuka] It has similar performance. But we are working hard to try to maximize the materials we have. “I hope we’re not too far away this weekend and Red Bull isn’t so fast that they’re 30 seconds ahead.”