Mercedes started the 2024 Formula 1 season on the back foot.
But after that slow start, things have definitely changed.
The upgrades the team began rolling out at the Miami Grand Prix have been paying off in recent weeks. The first signs of a breakthrough came in Montreal when George Russell took pole position for the Canadian Grand Prix. Though Russell was unable to defend the victory, he converted his starting position into a podium finish, finishing third, the team’s first Grand Prix podium of the year.
The next race weekend it was Lewis Hamilton’s turn, as he took third place in the Spanish Grand Prix.
And then came Austria. With Lando Norris and Max Verstappen battling for the lead, Russell was running third and was in a position to take the advantage when the two front-runners touched wheels on lap 64. While Norris and Verstappen returned to the pit lane with punctures, Russell took the lead and never looked back, giving Mercedes their first win since the 2022 season.
Russell’s victory at the Red Bull Ring was down to a bit of luck, but Hamilton’s win the following week at Silverstone was mainly down to pace.
Mercedes now head to Hungary as the most successful team over the last four race weekends, but Hamilton believes they are looking to achieve more.
“We never want to get ahead of ourselves. That’s the key to our approach.” Hamilton said Sky Sports F1 on Thursday. “But we’re also like: ‘Game on!’
“We’re fighting, we’re chasing and like George said, we’re going to compete to win as many races as we can or try to get as many wins as we can.”
Hamilton explained how important the team’s pursuit of “perfection” will be, not just this weekend, but for the rest of the season.
“[It] “Red Bull could still be light years ahead this weekend, McLaren could still be ahead – who knows, but what we’ve shown over the last few races is that determination, real focus and a dogged pursuit of perfection and improvement can make the difference,” Hamilton said.
“We are united as a team and will try to finish this season in the best possible way. If we can move up in the constructors’ standings and progress without being too far behind the drivers above us, that would be great.”
“It’s really exciting for all of us.”
