### Hamilton Evaluates Mercedes’ Upgrades at Imola
Lewis Hamilton remarked that the latest upgrades to Mercedes’ W15 made minimal impact on their overall performance during the F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Mercedes introduced the second phase of their upgrade package at Imola, following the initial updates launched in Miami two weeks prior. Despite these enhancements, Hamilton finished sixth, with teammate George Russell in seventh, both trailing 35 seconds behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who secured his fifth win in seven races.
Reflecting on the updates, Hamilton commented that they brought “not a big difference” to the car’s performance. “They are small steps but very, very small,” he said. “My pace in the second stint was comparable to the guys towards the front, but we’re still lacking two or three-tenths.”
Team principal Toto Wolff, however, expressed a more optimistic view. Despite the modest improvements, he believes the team is on the right development path after two challenging seasons. Wolff noted, “The incremental gains we’re bringing, rather than expecting a miracle update, are improving the car’s balance and performance.”
He added, “It’s about gaining a tenth or a tenth and a half, but other teams are progressing too. We are on a trajectory of making the car better, and I feel more confident now.”
During the race, Hamilton made a significant error at Acque Minerali, running wide and ending up in the gravel, which cost him valuable time. “I think I lost about five seconds with that off,” he admitted. “Then I came out behind Fernando and lost more seconds there, so probably around eight seconds in total. Not ideal, but it didn’t affect my position.”
