"We weren't that fast": Lewis Hamilton argues Mercedes was never as dominant as Red Bull is right now

Lewis Hamilton recently admitted that Mercedes' W14 is nowhere near Red Bull's RB19 in terms of pace. During the 2023 F1 Saudi Arabian GP, Max Verstappen overtook Hamilton as he plowed through the field from the 15th. Surprisingly, the seven-time world champion didn't defend against the Dutchman and simply let him pass.

When Lewis Hamilton was asked about the RB19's pace in the media, he simply mentioned that it was the fastest car on the grid. He explained how defending against Verstappen would have been futile simply because of the pace difference between the W14 and the RB19:

"I don't know, it's not for me to say,ubut I've never seen a car so fast. When we were fast, we weren't that fast. That's the fastest car I've seen compared to the rest, I don't know why or how but he [Max Verstappen] came past me with serious speed. I didn't even bother to block because there was a massive speed difference. I think everyone wants to see everyone close, but it's the way it is. Not my problem or fault."

Although Lewis Hamilton is hungry to win races again, he was generally happy with the result in the Saudi Arabian GP. This is because he's well aware of all the issues that Mercedes have been facing ever since 2022. He explained how his side of the garage didn't have the right setup for the car, while George Russell's side did:

"I'm generally happy. I moved forwards after a difficult qualifying, so to turn it into a positive today... I've got some points. I didn't have the car set-up right this weekend. George had the right set-up.nI need to work to make sure I have it in the right direction next time."

---

Lewis Hamilton doesn't feel connected with the Mercedes W14

At this point, it's no secret that Lewis Hamilton is simply unable to squeeze a solid performance out of Mercedes' W14. Ever since 2021, the seven-time world champion has been unable to win any races, which shows just how much the Brit is struggling. After qualifying for the Saudi Arabian GP, the driver spoke to the media, including Sportskeeda:

"I feel like I struggled with the car in the high speed [sections] particularly. But I just don’t feel the car underneath me. I just don’t feel connected to this car and I can’t get it, so I don’t really know what I’m going to do about that. It’s miserable."

He further added:

"It’s tough. I’m giving it absolutely everything; I’m here as late as I can be every day, I’m preparing the best you can, and I just get in the car and I can’t connect with it."

Despite having loads of issues, Lewis Hamilton is still determined to work on the car with his team. While there have been several rumors and speculations about him leaving Mercedes, he has debunked them himself and declared that he plans to stay.