Mercedes CEO Nick Fry believes the signing of Lewis Hamilton for 2013 brings added pressure to deliver a fast car capable of winning races.
Fry says there are no doubts about Hamilton’s talent, and whilst he believes the Briton could win races with an average car, they must do all they can to deliver one which can regularly challenge at the front – something they failed to do in 2012 with just a single victory.
“[Hamilton’s arrival] is very exciting for the team and also puts a lot of pressure on us because Ross [Brawn] has to provide him with a very good car,” he told Autosport.
“He can’t win with a car which is duff. He can win with a car that is not quite the best, but the competition is such that you can’t bridge a huge gap.”
Fry puts Hamilton in the same category as Fernando Alonso, a pair of drivers he believes can win without the best equipment.
“Certainly in my view, Lewis and Fernando Alonso are the two best drivers,” he stated. “I’d caveat that by saying Sebastian Vettel may well be in that group, but he’s always had the best car, and he’s got to prove it, in my mind.”
