Hamilton: "When they build the car, I will take it to the top"

Lewis Hamilton led the United States Grand Prix for nine laps and had his best chance of winning a race this season. But the seven-time World Champion couldn't defend against the quicker Max Verstappen in the closing stages of the race. With the performance, Hamilton sends a message saying he is "still here" and hopes his team can build a better car over the winter break. 

Upgrades for Mercedes

The Mercedes team introduced upgrades for the race in Austin. Hamilton reports that those upgrades have had a positive outcome and sent his best wishes to the team back at the factory in England. 

"I would like to say a big thank you to the team. Everyone at the factory is working so hard, it's been a trying year for everyone. We came here with upgrades, we were closer today so proud of everyone. Sorry, I couldn't get the win, I gave it everything. I could see he [Verstappen] was closing a second a lap and I couldn't answer to it. He came from so far back on the straight. At the end of the straight, my mirrors were vibrating so much that it was difficult to defend," Hamilton told Sky Sports. 

In his previous 15 seasons in Formula 1, Hamilton has always managed to take at least one victory. Hamilton is yet to win a race in 2022, and with three races left it's looking unlikely that he'll be able to keep this record intact. He tries to explain what it would mean for the team, whilst looking ahead to future seasons and sending a message to his rivals. 

"I can't put it into words how much it would mean to the team, especially with everything that's gone on, with the last race last year and with our car performance and all the news. To get a win would be hugely rewarding. I will take from today that we had good pace, I'm still here. I know when they build the car, I will take it to the top," Hamilton added.