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Seven-time champion, Lewis Hamilton has rubbished media claims that Mercedes has a Plan-B whereby it abandons the present idea of the W14.
Although the bouncing that plagued its predecessor seems to have been resolved, the W14 clearly has points, not least a scarcity of tempo.
With the staff sticking to its zero-sidepods idea, in gentle of pre-season testing, whereas Mercedes has made clear that it’s counting on upgrades that will likely be launched over the course of the season, it has been claimed that the German staff might really return to the drafting board and primarily begin yet again.
Lewis Hamilton was fast to garbage the suggestion.
“I noticed individuals speaking a couple of Plan-B, there is not a Plan-B, that is full garbage,” he informed Sky Sports activities. “We live in a time of value cap, to rebuild and redo a design of automobile you’d have to return to sq. one and we do not have time within the season to do this, in order that’s not on the playing cards. We’ll proceed to evolve and construct this automobile and attempt to push it to absolutely the restrict.
“I do know I’ve obtained the most effective staff behind me to shut the hole,” he added, “it is simply discovering that efficiency as quick as we are able to.”
Requested how straightforward it’s to stay constructive and whether or not he can nonetheless problem for the title he stated: “We’ll discover out over the subsequent couple of days what’s lifelike, however that is what I am ready for. I’ve ready myself for a championship battle, however whether or not or not we now have the gear to combat for the championship we’ll discover out. I do consider I’ve obtained the staff nonetheless which can be championship worthy, it is only for us to maintain our heads down.
“Final yr once we arrived and we had all these issues, all of us have been like panic mode, attempting to determine what was the problem and attempting to repair it,” he continued, “and it took us ceaselessly to completely attempt to perceive it.
“This yr we’re beginning with a automobile that does not bounce however it is rather, similar to final yr’s automobile, however there are some positives there and I believe it is a good basis to work from.”
In a clearly feisty temper, the Briton took the chance to hit out former racers, 1996 and 2009 world champions Damon Hill and Jenson Button, for suggesting that talks with Mercedes over a brand new contract are ‘on maintain’ on account of Hamilton’s lack of religion within the W14, and that ought to the automobile not allow him to problem for the title the seven-time champion might stroll away from the game.
“‘It’s finally individuals creating rumours with out information,” he stated, “and it’s by no means useful, you’d have thought that they might each know me by now.
“I’ve been with Mercedes since I used to be 13,” he continued, “and regardless of a tough time final yr, I’m nonetheless right here, and whether or not or not we now have a tough yr this yr, I’ll nonetheless be right here.
“I’m a fighter and we combat as a staff,” he added. “I really like the problem of findings options and I nonetheless consider I’m able to put the automobile in locations that maybe others aren’t capable of.
“After all, I want we have been beginning the season with an amazing automobile however it’s the journey that actually counts.
“There isn’t any hold-up with our contract,” he insisted. “I’ve at all times been very, very relaxed and I do not really feel like I’ve to get it achieved proper this second. I’m in a really lucky place.
“It is going to get achieved once we are prepared. I’ve an amazing relationship with Toto and with Mercedes and we absolutely help one another. I’m actually excited concerning the future collectively and actually happy with the work we’re doing, on and off the observe and the potential of latest issues that we are able to do transferring ahead.
“We’ll get there until one thing catastrophic occurs between me and Toto and we get within the boxing ring, however apart from that we’re good.”
Requested to foretell the end result this weekend, Hamilton’s response was solely predictable.
“They (Purple Bull) developed a tremendous automobile final yr, blew away all of the data and received just about all the things,” he stated. “They weren’t even pushing on the finish of the season and so they have been means forward. I do not see that altering firstly.”
Nevertheless, he believes nemesis Max Verstappen might fall prey to over-confidence.
“It’s at all times attainable that you just take your eye off the ball as an athlete,” he stated, “as a result of after you have one thing sealed the strain does swap. It’s totally different and you may sleep extra and you do not have to push in your coaching as a lot. However he will likely be very, very, very assured.”
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