The seven-time world champion, who holds the most pole positions at COTA with three, had hoped to challenge the Red Bulls and Ferraris in Saturday’s qualif﷽ying session in his upgraded Mercedes but ended up half a second off the pace in fifth. 

However, engine-related grid penalties for 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Charles Leclerc and 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Sergio Perez mean Hamilton will start Sunday’s grand prix third behind polesitter 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Carlos Sainz and 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Max Verstappen. 

• Qu𒐪alifying report: Sainz on United States GP pole position ahead of Verstappe🐼n
• F1 2022 United🉐 States Grand Prix - Full Qualifyiꦬng results

“It was a really, really difficult qualifying session,” admitted Hamilton. “I’d felt so optimistic all weekend, the car had bee💦n feeling good. 

“Everyone back at the factory has worked so hard to bring an upgrade and I was reall🌳y hopeful that we👍 were going to be much, much closer than we were. 

“B🔯ut onc🐽e we got to qualifying, I don’t know if it’s because the temperatures dropped, or the wind, or what, but the car was such a handful all of a sudden and not like any other time we’ve driven it [here]. I was expecting a bit more.” 

Mercedes have brought their last substantial upgrade of the season for their W13 to Austin but Hamilton believ🐼es it has not brought the💝m any closer to Red Bull. 

“These guys are a lot quicker on 🐓the straights, particularly Red Bull,” Hamilton explained. 

“I tᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚhink we might be able to keep up with them through the corners but in pure pace they are just… No matter what upgrade we bring, the gap stays the same. 

“I don't know if they are bringing upgrades the same time we are bringing upgrades but that’s definitely really tough for eꦏveryone in the team that’s pushing really hꦿard. 

“Still, we’ll give it everything tomorrow.” 

Mercedes can play ‘exciting games’ 

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff✱ was more optimistic about his team's performance in qualifying. 

Wolff confirmed the updates worked as expected and is confident Mercedes can mix it up at the front with Hamilton and168澳洲5最新开奖结果: George Russell both starting from the second row.

“I think the update works,” he said. “We had a lap in us that was three-tenths quicker but the car is so tricky to drive.♊ 

“I think for tomorrow we could be part o🏅f some exciting games.” 

Russell told Sky: “You always hope for more. When you go into a qualifying session you always dream and believe but ༒obv👍iously we have to be realistic. 

“We know that qualifying isn’t our strongest point but I think we’ll take it. It’s probably the furthest we’ve been from the🥀 midfield and the closest we’ve been to the frontౠ for quite a while, so a step forward.”