Lewis Hamilton claims Mercedes didn't optimize the 90-minute FP2 session

Lewis Hamilton believes Mercedes did not maximize the 90-minute free practice session ahead of the 2023 Canadian GP. The Briton is looking forward to a race weekend on one of his favorite circuits on the calendar.

Complaining about the bumpy surface of the track, Hamilton stated that they had an unusual free practice on Friday, June 16. With the first practice session canceled due to CCTV issues at the circuit, the second practice session was extended to 90 minutes.

The 38-year-old felt Mercedes were not able to optimize the session entirely and have more work cut out for themselves. His fastest lap around the Montreal circuit was clocked at 1 minute 13.718 seconds, with his teammate George Russell only 0.027 seconds adrift.

Speaking after the practice session to Sky Sports, the Briton said:

“I think probably the bumpiest circuit that we've been on for a long time, a bit of a strange day. I'm glad that we got to go out and it was nice to have an hour and a half session, but we haven't had an hour and a half for a long time, so then I felt like the time was not used optimally. I love driving this track, it's mega. I love it from the moment you leave the pit lane, So the car didn't feel bad, I think we've definitely got some work to do. I love the rain, so just trying to have fun tomorrow.”

---

Lewis Hamilton reckons Mercedes still have improvements to make

Having won seven times before at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Lewis Hamilton has always been enthusiastic to race at the North American venue. He felt that there needed to be more improvements made to the Mercedes W14, especially in terms of ride control and balance.

Comparing their performance to last year, the seven-time world champion remarked that they were in a much better position. Reflecting on his first day in the W14 in Canada, Lewis Hamilton said:

“Not the greatest, but not the worst by far. So, as I said, it’s feeling pretty decent, it’s just bumpy and I think everyone’s having the struggles with the bumps. So, I think we’ve just got to improve our ride control and our balance through the corners, and then I think we’ll be alright."

Asked if Mercedes had taken a step forward, the Briton said:

“Well, I can only base it off comparing to last year and it’s massively better than last year. The rear end is not necessarily, but overall, the car is just a step forwards and I’m definitely feeling the improvements we felt in Monaco, I’m feeling them here.”

In 2022, the Mercedes was struggling with porpoising issues around the bumpy Canadian circuit. Lewis Hamilton topped the time sheets, edging out the Ferraris and Aston Martin by a narrow margin. However, his close rivals Max Verstappen and Red Bull masked their true potential, making it difficult to predict the pecking order for Sunday.