Hamilton ‘clearly worried about Red Bull' observation made ahead of 2024 battle

That is the view of Sky Sports News reporter Craig Slater, who pointed to Hamilton’s comments after the Mexico City Grand Prix as a clear indication of where his head is at. 

After finishing second behind Max Verstappen in Mexico, Hamilton said he is confident Mercedes can “build a great car” for next season but warned “I’ve heard that Red Bull are progressing as well.” 

“So we have to be really, really strategic and really clinical - they know that already - in order for us to be battling those guys. They are so quick on the straights, we are losing two and a half tenths into Turn 1,” the seven-time world champion added. 

“But I believe. I’m ready. If we can get a car that can match them, we’re going to have some great battles next year.” 

Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 podcast, Slater noted how the development war is clearly at the forefront of Hamilton’s mind.

“I think next season is already being contested in a way,” Slater said. “Certainly in Lewis Hamilton’s head, it seems to me, his mind is full of where next year’s car is and to what extent some of the upgrades, which will have relevance [next year] are being brought towards the end of this season. 

“He’s obviously clearly worried about how early Red Bull started developing next year’s car and has a handle on that again.

“So I think in these kinds of end of season races, you do get this idea that the teams are beginning to marshal their ideas about next year and who necessarily might be where.

“Which I think, I guess from a morale perspective, [Mercedes will try to] get some results in now but you can see Lewis Hamilton very much turning his mind to 2024.”

Slater also suggested whether Hamilton played a role in influencing Mercedes’ decision to swap James Allison and Mike Elliott’s roles around earlier this year. 

Elliott’s shock exit from the team was announced by Mercedes following the Mexico City Grand Prix. 

“It’s quite a significant movement bringing Allison back,” Slater said, prior to the news about Elliott. “Especially when you have promoted someone to a theoretically higher role.

“The rearrangement at Mercedes over the last two years, not saying Lewis was negative in any way in 2022, but there was a kind sobriety and restraint about the way he would speak.

“And I sense now, he’s much more on the front foot again. I think he feels that yes, the building blocks and the right people are in place, in terms of where the car development is going.

“That little quote I made was almost, was that in reference to Mike Elliott, or the engineers who want to go a different way from the kind of Red Bull path that Mercedes have now adopted?

“But you just get the sense, Lewis feels that at least the right personnel are in the right spots with Allison in the lead.

“It’s just can they set the targets and parameters right now and are Red Bull just a little bit too far ahead? Is [Adrian] Newey beatable on aero over this winter? That’s a big question."