Lewis Hamilton achieved a second place finish in the Sprint race of the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix. Hamilton had a turbulent weekend at the event. He had a successful end to the sprint session with a P2 finish, but things took a turn for the worse when he was eliminated from the Q1 qualifying session. Despite this setback, Hamilton managed to secure a P9 finish using the average W15 chassis. As a result, the seven-time world champion claimed that the Sprint race gave him a boost of confidence.
Hamilton had high hopes of potentially winning the Sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix. He led multiple laps from turn 1, but was unable to fend off his dominant competitor in the following laps. The 39-year-old driver stated that the positive outcome of the Sprint race boosted his self-confidence. According to Hamilton, this is a part of life and he expects better results in future sessions.
Furthermore, Hamilton emphasized that such good days uplift his spirits and motivate him to continue racing in Formula 1. He acknowledged that the rainy conditions during the sprint qualifying made the circumstances unique. Nevertheless, Hamilton had to work hard to deliver a strong lap and secure a front-row start for the Chinese GP Sprint race.
It has been a long time since Hamilton last led laps on the track. Therefore, the Sprint race reminded him of the feeling of being on the front row of the grid and competing for victory. Hamilton hadn’t experienced this sensation in the sport for a considerable amount of time, which reignited his love for racing in the pinnacle of motorsport.
Hamilton acknowledged that Mercedes had to put in a tremendous amount of effort to achieve such good results. He didn’t challenge the reigning world champion, Max Verstappen, due to the impressive pace of Verstappen’s RB20 car. Mercedes has made some improvements during the Sprint weekend of the Chinese Grand Prix. The team plans to introduce more upgrades throughout the season to maximize the potential of their car. The goal for the Brackley-based team is to achieve better finishes in upcoming races and narrow the gap between themselves and the leading rival teams.