'Never felt so good' - Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton celebrates P4 in Montreal at Canadian Grand Prix
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Updated 18/06/2022 at 23:47 GMT+1
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton has endured a difficult early stage of the 2022 Formula 1 season but enjoyed a rare highlight as wet conditions allowed him to secure fourth place on the grid for Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal. The former world champion suggested conditions had helped his team.
‘The best this year’ - Hamilton, Verstappen and Alonso react to Canadian Grand Prix Qualifying
Lewis Hamilton celebrated fourth place on the grid at the Canadian Grand Prix, saying it reminded him of his early Formula 1 success.
Seven-time champion Hamilton has struggled with his redesigned Mercedes in 2022 and is well off the pace for the drivers’ championship.
He also trailed the quickest competitors in all three practice sessions, suggesting the German team were facing another difficult weekend.
However, in wet conditions Hamilton was able to secure fourth, and teammate George Russell claimed seventh despite sliding off the track late on using slicks while the track was still wet.
Talking to Sky Sports, Hamilton said: “I feel so happy. P4 has never has never felt so good, if I’m being honest. Maybe when I was in my first year in racing. This feels like that, particularly because I’ve had a really difficult year.
“To go through all of what we were facing today, it was difficult for everyone out there. So happy to be in this position. Everyone’s working so hard, constantly facing challenges with this car.”
Hamilton explained how the situation had been improved.
“We did a lot of work overnight,” he stated. “We went two different directions yesterday just to try and get the information. George’s way just happened to be a lot better, so the car didn’t feel great in that session.
“I think tomorrow we should be in a much better position. We have slightly different setups still for the race but we're in a great position. Tomorrow I can try to hold a position, at least.
“With this car you need everything and more to come together and honestly I feel like this car works - and I feel like I’ve got rhythm - I feel like this car works on a completely different beat. It doesn't work on a normal beat, so that’s been difficult to get used to and think it’s just really hard work from everyone.
“I think the rain makes a really big difference. If it was dry, I don’t know whether we’d be in that position.”
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