F1: Hamilton Says There’s Room To Improve

Formula 1

F1: Hamilton Says There’s Room To Improve

Lewis Hamilton has had an up and down weekend in Australia...

Adam Cooper | http://www.speedtv.com | Posted March 16, 2013 Melbourne (AUS)

This weekend marks Lewis Hamilton's first official drive with Mercedes. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Lewis Hamilton says he hasn’t done a great job this weekend after a spin in Q1 nearly finished his qualifying session.

Hamilton said the FIA made the right decision in delaying Q2 and Q3.

“They made the right call,” said Hamilton. “It’s been a tricky weekend so far, but I’m still enjoying it. It’s a shame for all the fans who got drenched today. I hope they still turn up tomorrow and I hope we have much better weather tomorrow.

“I see that as a blessing that we have it tomorrow, and hopefully it will be a bit drier and give us bit more of an opportunity to get higher up.”

Hamilton said he went off on a white line.

“The slippery paint lines on the track make it so much harder, and it’s already as hard as it possibly could be when it’s raining,” the former champion said. “I think everyone was struggling with that today.

“I slipped on one of those lines and just lost the back end. Those kinds of things happen. It’s not been a great weekend so far on my side, but tomorrow we have another chance to turn it round.

“It really is one of the worst circuits in the rain. This weekend’s been too dangerous, but I think hopefully in the future we’ll get some gripper paint or something like that.”
Regarding his own form, he said: “It takes a little bit of time to get used to a new car, for sure. I generally feel OK in it, but every time I get in the car I’m learning a little bit more and feeling more and more comfortable in it. I don’t know what it is exactly, but I’m working on it.”

Adam Cooper notched up his 28th season as a racing journalist in 2012. He has written about F1 for SPEED.com since 2005. Follow him on Twitter.