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Lewis Hamilton has urged Mercedes to copy Red Bull's car development plans after it was reported that the Austrian team has already started its work on the 2024 F1 challenger. With rules remaining stable from this year to the next, the teams know what the parameters would be for their cars next season.
As a result, Red Bull has seemingly already started the work on the 2024 F1 challenger as the team enjoys a massive advantage over the rest of the field this season.
This was something that was revealed by Christian Horner to the media during the F1 Canadian GP weekend where he said that the team had already shifted its focus. Citing Red Bull's development plans and Mercedes' hopes of catching the Austrian team, Lewis Hamilton urged the German squad to take their eyes off the 2023 F1 season and start the work on next season's car.
Talking to the media after his second consecutive podium in Canada, Lewis Hamilton said:
"It's been a great weekend. Very difficult with the conditions but loving being in the car now with the car in a better window and a bit more on the right track. For us to be up there, having battles with Fernando in the Aston, and being on the second row, it's been great. To be on the podium two races in a row is really fantastic for us."
He added:
"We were also running fourth in Monaco, so we're definitely getting closer. And it's going to be a battle of development over the rest of the season. I reckon Max's team are already working on next year's car, so we need to take our eye a little bit off the ball and focus on next year also but happy to be up there."
Lewis Hamilton not frustrated by the lack of success in the last two seasons
When questioned about his win drought (he hasn't won a race for more than 18 months), Lewis Hamilton admitted that whatever frustration was there at the start of the season has subsided. The car's performance is not in his hands and unless he has the right car, he can't take on and beat Max Verstappen.
He said:
"It's not a frustration anymore, if it ever was… There's nothing I can do about their amazing performance. It's likely that they will win every race, moving forwards, this year, unless the Astons and us put a lot more performance on the cars, or their car doesn't finish."
He added:
"It's not easy with the regulations to find the amount of performance that they have, advantage-wise. They've got to be 30 [downforce] points upon us in certain points through the lap and we've got some work to do."
Lewis Hamilton currently finds himself fourth in the championship this season and the Mercedes driver has shown a significantly improved level of consistency. It will be interesting to see if he can end his win drought this season.
