Lewis Hamilton is the most successful driver in F1, with a record 103 victories under his belt. Since the Briton has had so much success in the sport, not often has second place satisfied him. However, with him not winning a race since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, times seem to have changed for the 38-year-old. Hamilton’s former rival, Jenson Button, has now explained whether it is a good or a bad thing to see the seven-time world champion satisfied with second place.
While speaking after the race, Button said (as quoted by crash.net), “It’s great to see Lewis so upbeat. He got out of the car. Jumped to his mechanics. Lewis finishing second used to be a thing where he was disappointed“. Button believes that Hamilton’s outlook has changed recently because the 38-year-old understands where Mercedes are at the moment.
All smiles for Lewis Hamilton after a brilliant Mexico City Grand Prix drive 👊
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) October 30, 2023
The Silver Arrows had a rough start to this year’s campaign as they were way off the pace set by Red Bull and have since grown from strength to strength. Hamilton’s second-place finish at the Mexico City GP brought in so much optimism that even Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff explained how happy he is with the effort his team have put in recently.
Lewis Hamilton’s fantastic drive in Mexico brought a smile to Toto Wolff
Following the conclusion of the Mexico City GP, an interviewer asked Toto Wolff if Lewis Hamilton’s second-place finish pleased him. In reply, the Austrian stated (as quoted by crash.net), “Yes, absolutely. The smile on our faces is because the car is strong. Once Lewis was in free air, we had so much margin on the medium“.
Hamilton crossed the line in second, almost 10 seconds clear of third-placed Charles Leclerc, who was on the hards. Since the mediums were so durable for Mercedes, Wolff stated that the team now just needs to work on their qualifying pace.
The 51-year-old said that if Hamilton had qualified higher than sixth, he could have even fought Max Verstappen for the win. Wolff then concluded his remarks by explaining how the recent upgrades to the W14 have brought in a sense of optimism in the team. The Austrian stated that the team is looking at ways to improve the performance for next season.
