Lewis Hamilton has expressed optimism about Mercedes’ progress after his initial outing with the W15 car.
The seven-time World Champion took to the track on Thursday, assuming testing responsibilities from George Russell, who had piloted the vehicle the previous day.
The day proceeded smoothly, with the only hiccup being an early end to the morning session due to a loose drain cover, which necessitated track repairs.
Hamilton concluded the day in third place, completing 123 laps as he gears up for his last season with Mercedes before moving to Ferrari the following year.
Following Russell’s encouraging remarks about his initial experience with the W15 on Wednesday, Hamilton has also shared his positive feedback about the vehicle.
The seven-time world champion stated: “It was a productive day out there. We gathered lots of learnings about the W15, both in our long running and single lap work.
“We’ve clearly made an improvement with this year’s car and it’s much nicer to drive.”
Since the introduction of new technical rules in 2022, Mercedes has experienced a decline in their competitive standing.
The Silver Arrows have secured only one Grand Prix victory following the regulatory overhaul, thanks to Russell’s efforts.
Hamilton has reaffirmed his dedication to aiding in the car’s enhancement as the squad strives to return to its victorious form.
“A big thank you to everyone at Brackley and Brixworth for the efforts they’ve put in to deliver that over the past year. I’m really grateful for all their hard work,” he added.
“We’ve still got progress to make of course. But this is a good foundation for us to build on.
“We’ll keep our heads down and continue to work to find improvements, both over the rest of the test and into next week.
“I’m looking forward to being back in the car tomorrow morning and continuing that learning.”
