Lewis Hamilton says he struggled to provide positive feedback about Mercedes’ W10 during pre-season testing, in contrast to the team’s domination of the 2019 campaign.
Mercedes had a subdued first week in Barcelona and brought almost an entirely new package to the second week, in which it showed far more encouraging pace.
Mercedes and Ferrari departed pre-season testing on almost equal footing, with widespread suggestions the two teams were evenly matched ahead of the Australian Grand Prix.
But while Ferrari has had a couple of opportunities to out-muscle Mercedes the reigning champions have swept up so far in 2019, taking all eight wins, with six of those being 1-2 finishes.
“When we were in Barcelona in testing, we did not think this would be where we were,” said Hamilton.
“When the team spoke to me afterward and said how’s the car, I didn’t really have any good things to say and there was a real worry for the first week and a half until the last day when we kind of figured out how to get the car to work.
“And then since then, the first few races, practice has been so-so, Valtteri [Bottas] has been super quick and much happier with the car.
“I’ve been thinking, ‘Jeez, why have I not been as on top of it as he has’, for example, or I have been in the past.
“But little by little, just keep working at it, keep chipping away and it’s getting better and better but the races just continue to be my strongest point, since some point of last year, and that’s really comforting and so that’s an area that I’ve particularly enjoyed.
“I really do hope that we have more close races like the last race [in Canada].
“I really hope Ferrari bring some extra downforce rather than keeping the straights fast, get some speed through the corners so we can start racing each other.”
