'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Lewis Hamilton finished P10 in the 2023 F1 Austrian GP Sprint. However, the seven-time world champion made a surprising claim and felt that a podium was on the table.
The Mercedes driver had a below-par Saturday, as he could not even score a point in the Sprint. It all stemmed from the poor qualifying performance where the driver was knocked out in the first segment of the sprint shootout.
Lewis Hamilton, just like Charles Leclerc, was one of the drivers that attempted to get through the first segment with just a single set of soft tires. While Leclerc made it through in his Ferrari, Lewis could not.
Trending
As a result, Lewis started the race outside of the top 15 and always had an uphill climb in front of him. Just like teammate George Russell, Lewis Hamilton also gambled on soft tires but was late by a couple of laps.
While George Russell passed him on the track and ended up scoring points, Lewis Hamilton could only finish P10. After the race, the Mercedes driver thought that the sprint was a wasted opportunity. Talking to Sky Sports, Hamilton said that a podium was on the table, but the poor qualifying result worked against him. He said,
"I was relatively quick this morning. I should have easily been top five and in the race I would have been close to the podium with the pace I had. I just enjoyed myself in the race, lost few points but it's not the most important day today."
Lewis Hamilton targeting to keep up with Ferrari on Sunday
Talking about the race on Sunday, Lewis Hamilton admitted that Red Bull was just out of reach, but he would try to keep up with Ferrari in the race. The driver starts the race in P5 with Charles Leclerc in P2, Carlos Sainz in P3, and Lando Norris in P4 directly in front of him. The Mercedes driver was targeting to keep up with this group as the McLaren might ideally fall by the wayside. He said,
"I'm around the Ferraris and Red Bull which is in its own league. If I can hold onto the Ferraris that would be great."
While Lewis starts the race in P5, he will have Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll for company behind him in the Aston Martin. The Spaniard has not been in the best of form this weekend, as his Canadian teammate has had the measure of him.
