Hamilton matched his best result of the season with a second-place finish in Barcelona on Sunday, with teammate168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史: George Russell completing the podium in thir🎉d, marking Mercede💮s’ first double rostrum of the year. 

Mercedes’ heavily-upgraded W14 demonstrated impressive race pace that was only beaten by the dominant Red Bulls, leaving the team fee🍸ling vindicated about their decision to switch concepts just a handfu𓆉l of races into the campaign. 

Asked whether it was the best car he has had underneath him over the past year and a half, the seven-time world champion replieꦡd: “Definitely, the best the car has been for the past year and a half.

“So th🧸at’s kudos to the amazing group we have back at the factory, continuing to work hard and to push the car forward. 

“It felt the ౠbest yesterday and today that it’s felt for the past 15 months, or whatever it is. That’s super encouraging, not onlyꦆ for me but for everyone in the team. 

“This will be a bꦬig boost for everybody’s morale and we are going to taﷺke that energy on to developing the car.” 

When asked the same question, Russell sa𒁏id: “Today it probably felt the best it ever had around Barcelona because of the cooler conditions, but definitely this seasoꦓn, the best its felt, the most together it’s felt. 

“As Lewis said, team’s done a really great job. The work that Mick and the simulator were doing, they were there till well past midnight to help us with the set-upꦫ and get it in a good window for the race today. 

“We are making strides in the right direction. We just need to make sure, especially into next yea🅰r, that we hit the ground running, because I think we, as a team, p💮robably develop faster than anyone else.” 

But Hamilton conceded it is probably too early to draw any conclusions on Mercedes’ performance given the team were also competitive 12 mo𝓰nths ago in Barcelona.

“Thꦗey normally say if you’re quick in Barcelona you’re car should be generally quick everywhere,” he explained. “But I think we will be strong in the next races. 

“ꦿThey’ll be times when the Aston 🍬is maybe ahead, or the Ferrari maybe is ahead. But I think our race pace continues to be a strength of ours. As it was last year. 

“This ꦍweekend particularly, we’ve understood the car more. So I think we can count on that being strong moving forwards. 

“We’ve just got to try and li🧜ft the overall perforꩲmance of the car a little bit more to try and close the gap to these guys [Red Bull].”