Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes has yet to fully understand why the team’s W09 suffered a sudden drop-off in performance two weeks ago in Mexico City.
Hamilton’s comfortable margin over rival Sebastian Vettel in the Drivers’ championship enabled the Brit to conquer his fifth world title despite a lowly fourth-place finish at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
Silver Arrows team mate Valtteri Bottas concluded his own race one position behind as both men struggled with excessive tyre degradation on their W09, an issue also encountered a week earlier in Austin.
Ahead of this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix, with Mercedes still fighting Ferrari in the Constructors’ championship, Hamilton said the German team had made progress in understanding its issues, echoing the comments of team boss Toto Wolff, but that dark areas remained.
“I think some of it is still a mystery but I think there are a lot of areas that we have understood,” Hamilton said.
“We are coming to another circuit that is quite hard on tyres, Brazil is always quite tough in that area but we have not been terrible here. I think this track does work quite well with a more nimble, shorter car.
“I’m hoping this weekend we can get the car into the right place and fight the guys, and the Red Bulls and Ferraris who have seemed to come back more into shooting range.
Mexican Grand Prix winner Max Verstappen played down Red Bull’s prospects at Interlagos, insisting the high altitude of Mexico City’s track had brought out the best in the team’s Renault-powered RB14.
Despite the very different conditions, Hamilton reckons Red Bull will still be a force to be reckoned with in Sao Paulo.
“Red Bull’s dominance at the last race was impressive and I’m sure they will be quick this weekend as well, as will Ferrari,” he said.
“It is going to take everything and more - we will have to throw everything at it, including the bathroom sink.”
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