Lewis Hamilton has admitted a 2014-style recovery drive to a podium finish is “unlikely” at the 2017 Austrian Grand Prix.
The British driver spun during qualifying for the 2014 race at the Red Bull Ring, lining up ninth, but he bounced back to claim second place.
This year, the Mercedes driver’s car has had a gearbox change, giving him a grid penalty that drops him from third to eighth for Sunday’s Austrian GP.
Hamilton thinks a repeat of his 2014 comeback drive in Austria this year is not realistic, because Mercedes does not hold such a large advantage over the pack.
“I'm pretty sure back then there was a bigger difference in speed deltas between us and the other cars,” he said.
“I think it's more unlikely than it was then, but I'll give it everything I can and of course I'll be happy if I get up there.”
Hamilton said it was a “pretty straightforward” qualifying session, with “no real issues” and admitted he just “didn’t hook it up” when it mattered in Q3.
The three-time F1 champion will start on the supersoft tyres after setting his best Q2 time on the compound, assuming the race takes place in dry conditions.
