- German GP - FP2
New set-up a challenge - Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton admits he yet to find the "sweet spot" on his Mercedes after the team removed the Front and Rear Interconnected (FRIC) suspension system.
The FIA confirmed on Friday morning no team will run FRIC this weekend for fear of reprisals from the stewards, with Hamilton getting practice without the system at last week's Silverstone test. Despite topping FP2 Hamilton, who ran wide on a few occasions on Friday, says he still has a way to go before he feels comfortable with his new set-up.
"Ok, it wasn't a perfect session," Hamilton replied when asked how FP2 went. "It was a little difficult to find a balance today with the track being so hot, it was quite tricky. The car is a little bit different now, obviously because we and everyone has made changes set-up is in a different direction to what we've had in the past but it's still fun to drive. Finding the sweet spot of the car is just in a different place now. We have to improve our target and get that right."
When asked if other teams had caught up to Mercedes without FRIC, Hamilton said: "I guess we'll find out tomorrow, I couldn't tell you."
With track temperatures reaching up to 58 degrees Celsius all the cars seemed to be struggling with the supersoft Pirelli tyres, something Hamilton could be a theme of the weekend if the rain stays away on Sunday.
"The soft tyres are going to struggle here on the longer tyres, it's going to be a three-stop maybe - two or three stops. It could be one of the hardest races to manage the tyres. Same as every day, we just worked on the set-up. We need to analyse as much as we can tonight and drink plenty as it's going to be hot."
The Mercedes drivers are tied on four pole positions apiece this season and Hamilton says anything less would be a disadvantage on Sunday.
"Pole is important everywhere you go. There's a long straight down to Turn 6 so there are opportunities created if you are perhaps second, but pole always makes it easier. It's going to be one lap but it's one lap every time in Q3. It's always one lap, one lap. You might even be able to have two laps and then one lap because the lap here is shorter."
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