It w🥃as the first time since 2013 that Mercedes hasn’t clinched pole position at the Circuit of the Ameꦆricas - a circuit that Hamilton has won at on five previous occasions.

Hamilton believes that Red Bull has simply improved its car throughout t☂he weekend, while Mercedes hasn’t.

“Yeah it waℱs fun, it was definitely a difficult session,” 𒆙Hamilton said after qualifying. “I would say for us, since FP1 it’s been a little bit tougher, making a lot of changes trying to improve the car. It’s been a real challenge.

“Going into qualifying, the first session wasn’t that great. Q1 wa🦹sn’t spectacular, but started to improve particularly on the medium tyre. The last two runs were pretty good. I think they’ve just been pretty quick all weekend and I think we were able to match them or be ahead in FP1 but since then they’ve really pulled a lot.

“You can tell the car is quick, because both of them are up there and putting in some seriously good laps. But we’re in a goo💯d position to♐ fight them tomorrow and I hope we can.”

After dominating first practice, Mercedes struggled to build on its impresꦫsive early p🌠ace.

Hamilton conceded that it’s been “a ෴challenge” to get his Mercedes car and tyres into the correct ไwindow with overheating a recurring issue due to the hot temperatures.

“It started off good, it felt pretty good through FP1, then bit by bit, they got a little bit faster,” Hamilton added. I don’t know if we got slower but it’s been a real struggle with the car, compared to w🐭hen we’re ౠnormally here.

“Part of it is probably overheating the t🌠yres, which is affecting I’m sure everyone,﷽ but yeah it’s been a challenge.”