Hamilton: “The strategy will be interesting”

In difficult conditions, on a wet track, then drying at the end of Q3, Lewis Hamilton showed himself strongest this Saturday during qualifying for the Austrian Grand Prix. The Briton took advantage of his position to set his benchmark lap.

“I've never driven here in the rain before and there's a new surface and it was very, very slippery. The track dried turn by turn and at the end you had to be sure to get the last lap right.

If I hadn't finished my lap or if there had been a yellow flag I wouldn't have been able to get pole, but that's the risk I took and luckily it paid off, so very happy with this. »

The pilot Mercedes believes that the tire strategy will play a major role tomorrow, given the deterioration observed this morning in strong heat (conditions which should not be observed tomorrow), but also the different choices made by the teams in Q2, with a train of rubbers which will start the race. Red Bull et Ferrari will notably start on super-soft tires unlike Mercedes.

“I think the ultra-soft is not a good tire for racing. It will be complicated to accumulate a large number of rounds so the strategy will be interesting. Obviously these drivers start behind me, so I hope I will have an advantage at the start by starting on a softer tire but... In practice, my tire lasted four laps, and for Nico it lasted maybe eight ? He says five. So it will definitely be difficult, but we will do our best. »

The Briton also indicated that the issue of vibrators, which caused several suspension failures, deserved to be studied closely. “ I can't speak for all drivers, but for me these yellow curbs are very dangerous.

We have seen some incidents already. I don't know how long it's going to take before a car ends up in the wall and maybe someone gets hurt. I'm sure Charlie Whiting and the FIA ​​are looking at this, but it's certainly an area we can improve. The idea is good, because they absolutely don't want us to go too wide by using the outside of the circuit, but perhaps another solution will be necessary. »