Ferrari will need to pressure Mercedes via strategy in Austria - Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton believes Ferrari will need to use strategy with both cars at the front of the field to put pressure on Mercedes in the Austrian Grand Prix.

Mercedes has appeared to have the strongest package throughout the weekend at the Red Bull Ring so far, with George Russell securing pole position by over 0.2s. Kimi Antonelli will start fourth after abandoning his final lap due to a yellow flag, and with the two Ferraris between the Mercedes pair, Hamilton – who goes from third – hopes to find a way to make life difficult for the championship leaders.

“I think this weekend we’ve not been confident that we could fight for a win,” Hamilton said. “These guys have been six tenths quicker than us most of the weekend. We closed the gap overnight three tenths, but we still are three – or two-and-a-bit – tenths down today.

“It’s going to be very tough to challenge them tomorrow, but with a long run down to Turn 3, hopefully together we can. It’s great having Charles [Leclerc] here as well, because we can hopefully work together in a strategy and try to apply pressure to them.”

Hamilton only completed one timed lap in Q3 after an error on his first run, and says that cost him a chance of a better qualifying result.

“I don’t know whether we could do the same time as those guys. They’ve been quick all weekend, so congrats to George. But otherwise, it’s amazing to be up here with Charles. I think it’s such a great showing for Ferrari, and it really is a reflection of the hard work that everyone’s been putting in back at the factory.

“We got the new upgrade this weekend on the engine, which is a slight step forward. Then we also brought a couple of little pieces on the car, so every weekend it’s really great to see them pushing so much and just continuing to bring these pieces. You can tell they’re hungry and they’re pushing, which I’m really proud of, and that’s why we’re up here and as close as we are.

“Yesterday we were like six tenths off in a straight line, and somehow today we’re closer. The weekend had been pretty good. This morning in P3, I felt good with the laps, and then got to qualifying and struggled a little bit more with the balance, particularly on the brakes.

“And then Q3, made a mistake in Turn 1 and then Turn 3, and lost that lap. That really pushed me on the back foot, naturally, because you’ve got to squeeze out a lap. So given that I missed that first lap, I’m pretty happy with that.”

Leclerc similarly felt he left time on the table, but that it wouldn’t have changed his starting position alongside Russell on the front row.

“Honestly, it wasn’t a very special lap,” Leclerc said. “I just wanted a clean lap. And so, when you are in this mindset, maybe you leave a little bit of margin on the table. But I don’t regret it because I wouldn’t have beaten George anyway. So, second is the best we could do today.

“I really hope [to win on Sunday], but it’s very strange because yesterday was a very tough day for the team. I think we were struggling a lot as a team and today we did a big step forward. I did not expect, and I think as a team we did not expect, to be in front of the McLarens particularly and close to the Mercedes. So that’s a good surprise.

“Then for the race itself, I think we did a step forward with the car for tomorrow. Whether this will be enough to challenge the Mercedes, I doubt so. But if there’s an opportunity, I will do everything to take it.”