168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Lewis Hamilton has hailed Mercedes’ “huge improvement” after he secured second in the China sprint race - his best result of the 2024 F1 season.

Hamilton took the race lead on the opening lap of the sprint away from 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Lando Norris after an aggressive sta🔥rt which saw the McLaren driver gꦑo wide.

The seven-time world champion controlled the race from the front, extending his lead over 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Fernando Alonso to over two seconds.

Inevitably, 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Max Verstappen cut his way through🔴, before overꦉtaking Hamilton on Lap 9.

Hamilton’s pace was sti♍ll good enough from that point onwards to secure second - adding seven points to his championship tally.

“That’s the best result I’ve had in a long time,” he said after the sprint. “Of course, I am s🔥uper, super ♑happy, and grateful. We couldn’t fight the Red Bulls today. This is a huge step.

“A huge improvement. At least, with the rain, that really helped naturally. The race was tough. If I was further back I would have struggled perhaps to progress. I found out a lot about the car through this short stint for the race. I am excited for🎐 t𒊎omorrow.”

For the first time in F1 his🥂tory, the drivers will♛ take to the track again for qualifying - just three hours after racing in the sprint.

With the forecast set to be dry, Hamilton isn’t hopeful of replicating his sprin🦋t qualifying heroics, concedin𝓡g a number of teams are simply quicker over one lap.

“I still think we’re still not as quick on a single lap as the Ferrarisꦫ, Red Bulls,” he added. “I think the McLarens are ahead of us for sure and possibly the Astons. We’re prob❀ably close to the Astons but we will see today. I don’t anticipate we will be fighting for the front row.

“The fortunate thing is that we can make some adjustments so hopefully I can improve the car in the next three 𓄧hours and have a better qualifying session than we have had in the past.”