F1: Mercedes ace Lewis Hamilton urges Ferrari to ‘pick it up’ in title fight

Hamilton: Ferrari have to pick it up

Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton says that unless Ferrari raise their game Mercedes will continue to dominate at the front of the grid.

Mercedes secured their fourth consecutive 1-2 at Sunday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku and are now well ahead of their title rivals in both the constructors’ and drivers’ championships.

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After his win in Baku Valtteri Bottas leads the drivers’ standings with 87 points and his Mercedes team-mate Hamilton is second with 86. In the constructors’ standings Mercedes have 173 points from four races - 74 more than title rivals Ferrari who are second.

Yahoo reports that Hamilton thinks Mercedes’s current dominance is just the beginning. The British driver said: “Until they [Ferrari] start performing at the level we are at, then this is how it’s going to be.

“We definitely didn’t expect to have the performance we have but I’m glad we do. I just think the team is out-performing itself. They’re going to have to pick it up if they want to fight us.”

Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel agreed with Hamilton. “He is right, we need to pick it up,” said the German four-time world champion.

Mercedes will look to continue their winning run at the F1 Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday 12 May.

Vettel: Ferrari struggles are like a Rubik’s Cube

Sky Sports reports that Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel has compared the Scuderia’s struggles to like solving a large Rubik’s Cube.

“We are pushing as hard as we can but you have to respect that they [Mercedes] are doing phenomenally well, getting their car most of the time in the right place,” said Vettel.

“I’m confident and I believe in this team and I know we can improve. I think we have a good car, we just don’t always manage yet to put it where it belongs so then it is difficult to have the trust and the feel. I’m sure it’s going to turn around.

“It’s like a Rubik’s Cube, we just need to solve it. I think we have a lot of guys who can do the Rubik’s Cube in under a couple of minutes, we have really clever people. But we are working on a large-sized Rubik’s Cube.”

Silverstone British GP deal not yet confirmed

F1 journalists Joe Saward and Mark Hughes tweeted on Tuesday morning that a new three-year deal had been agreed for Silverstone to continue hosting the British Grand Prix until 2022.

Under the current contract this year’s race is set to be the last, but despite the reports on social media talks are still ongoing between Silverstone owners the British Racing Drivers’ Club and Liberty Media.

In response to Hughes’s tweet Silverstone said on Twitter: “Following this statement, at this time Silverstone have not agreed a contract regarding the future of the British Grand Prix. We are able to confirm that talks are still progressing.”

F1 news headlines

What the media is writing about in the world of Formula 1.

• Mercedes: Ferrari still the benchmark on straight-line speed – but not in the races (Formula1.com)
• Our race pace better than Ferrari’s in Baku, say Red Bull (Formula1.com)
• How Baku backfired for Leclerc (Sky Sports)
• Merc hope to avoid Lewis, Bottas conflict (Sky Sports)
• Pit Chat: The return of Horner’s sharp tongue (Planet F1)
• Grosjean finding Haas woes ‘f***ing annoying’ (Planet F1)
• Ferrari president: Mercedes are more fortunate (GP Fans)