“McLaren are now ahead of us on a track like this”: Lewis Hamilton outlines major issue with Mercedes’ ’car concept’ post Japanese GP qualifying

Lewis Hamilton pointed out the major issue related to the design concept of the Mercedes W14 after losing out to Ferrari and McLaren during the qualifying session of the Japanese Grand Prix.

After the race last week in Singapore, Mercedes looked quite close in competition at the top as they were just a car's length away from winning the Grand Prix. While they could not achieve it there, the Suzuka Circuit was thought to be much more in their control, however, that did not materialize. After the qualifying, Red Bull looked pretty much back on pace as Max Verstappen got himself on pole, while Lewis Hamilton could only qualify P7, a little over a second slower than the pole sitter.

Speaking to Sky Sports about the car post the qualifying session, Lewis Hamilton mentioned that the car has "lots of load on the front" compared to the rear of the car, which indicates the loss of grip levels on a couple of corners. He further added that these issues are with the car's concept, and they would be looking forward to finding a solution with the next season's car.

"For me that’s clearly its concept, 100% clear as concept [of the car] and we gotta make sure we change that for next year, which hopefully we will."

Mercedes were only the fourth fastest team in the session, and this leaves them behind the earlier goal that the team had set in Singapore; which is finishing second in this year's Constructors' Championship. However, Lewis Hamilton is inspired by Aston Martin and McLaren's performance upgrade this season and is looking forward to the 2024 season.

"It’s a steep gap that we have to close for next year, but you’ve seen what the Astons did coming into this year so they can make big steps. You’ve seen what the McLarens did, by going down the Red Bull route, they’re now ahead of us on a track like this."

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Lewis Hamilton feels Mercedes' progress in over two years is 'not good showing'

The seven-time world champion has been on the chase for his eighth world title since the 2021 season, and despite getting an awful lot close to it, he has only seen himself distanced from it since that season.

Winning the title in 2022 with the W13 seemed almost impossible even if they stood a chance for victory, and despite the development they put into the W14 for this season, the situation seems familiar. The last time Hamilton won a race was the Saudi Arabian GP of 2021, and all of the work so far has still seen Max Verstappen finish ahead of them by a second on pole, which he feels is not conducive to a title challenge, as he told the media in Japan:

"I hope the team already realise – but a second gap is huge. And it is real. To be two years in and still be a second down to the Red Bulls is not a good showing and we need to make sure we work hard over the winter to get back at least half that gap before next year."