Lewis Hamilton, who will start third on the grid for tomorrow’s Belgian Grand Prix, conveyed mixed feelings about the session, acknowledging both comfort in the wet conditions and frustration over missteps.
The session began in very wet conditions, with heavy rain in FP3 leaving the circuit in a very wet shape. Even with these challenging circumstances, Hamilton felt at ease as he loves the rain.
“I mean, I was comfortable. I mean, I’m always comfortable in these conditions. I think, I do think we could have been further up if we got timing quite perfect in the last run.
“But I mean, we nearly didn’t get through Q1, but not through true pace. It was just because they brought me in.
”And then at the end there, we only had one set of tyres. And the three guys ahead of me, I think, had another [new] set.”
During Q1, Hamilton encountered traffic issues that affected the opening segment of qualifying. He was P13, but the 104-time race winner made it through quite comfortably by over half a second.
“Came in probably a little bit too, came in a bit late. Then, when I went back out, I couldn’t do a lap because there was all this traffic into the last corner.”
“So I didn’t get to do that lap. And then, yeah, and then that kind of offsets you through the whole session because I only had one new set at the end.”
Hamilton remained cautiously optimistic about his chances in the race, although he conceded McLaren and Red Bull are just too quick for Mercrdes this weekend.
“I think, there’s a slight chance we could maybe fight for a podium, but I think it’s going to be really tough.
“We’ve got the quick McLarens behind. Quick Red Bull ahead and another quick Red Bull that’s going to come through. So, it’s going to be tough. I think the Ferrari is also there, just there with us in performance.”
Hamilton expressed concern about the car’s performance in potentially dry conditions for the race. Mercedes looked quite a way off McLaren and Red Bull in the dry over a single lap in FP2.
He also discussed the changes made to his car overnight and the impact it could have on helping them improve in race trim after that sluggish Friday.
“There’s no relief. I mean, it was a relief for me because it’s raining. We were a second off yesterday. Maybe we would have been seven tenths off today, but we wouldn’t have been fighting for the top three.”
“I think the race pace was strong for the other guys. I’m hoping the changes we’ve made overnight, though, puts the car maybe in a slightly better place. And it’s going to be how I drive it tomorrow that will really seal the deal or go backwards.”
Acknowledging the advantage of starting third, Hamilton was satisfied. But the seven-time World Champion feels pole (with Verstappen’s penalty) was on if he had another new set on the final runs in Q3.
“I definitely can’t complain.
“I think when I looked at my theoretical time, we should have been second. But I think if I’d had another tyre at the end, I think I could have got a pole. It’s all ifs and buts.”
