„The car was good, a lot better than previous years. But three and a half tenths is a lot here, it’s still six tenths, so we’re still pace-wise, but we have to keep pushing. We’ll slowly get closer throughout the year as more upgrades come.
„I don’t expect to be ahead of George in qualifying, especially this year, but we have to keep moving forward and the races are strong.”
Facts and figures: Alban scores first Q3 in 2024, Williams takes best starting position in Monaco for 8 years
Pushed further as to why he believes this, Hamilton simply replied: „We’ll see.”
Hamilton – currently competing in his last campaign as a Mercedes driver before switching to Ferrari for 2025 – has overtaken Russell on just one occasion in 2024 ahead of the younger Briton on the grid for the Japanese Grand Prix.
Speaking to Sky’s Ted Kravitz after qualifying, team boss Toto Wolff suggested the upgraded front wing that Russell ran in Monaco was not too different, but again praised the team at their base at Brackley for getting the components ready in time for the race.
„I don’t think there’s much difference in between [the old and new wings] Just in time,” Wolff explained. „But the factory did such a great job that the thing flew out at the last minute and proved to work, and now we believe it has.”