Hamilton unsure about Monaco chances: "Don't know what to expect with this car"

Lewis Hamilton is expecting a tough battle with Max Verstappen at the Monaco Grand Prix. He says Red Bull Racing has always been strong at the track and that the difference with Mercedes is smaller than ever, and thinks the Austrian racing stable could be just ahead.

It's not that Monaco is a bad circuit for Mercedes: Hamilton has won there twice with the German team, in 2016 and 2019. Nico Rosberg won there in 2013, 2014 and 2015. By Mercedes standards, those numbers may be disappointing, but it looks anything but hopeless.

Mercedes points to Red Bull as favorite in Monaco

Toto Wolff was quick to point out Red Bull as the favourite, however, and Hamilton also thinks they are a big contender. As such, he doesn't expect a repeat of his 2019 victory just yet. "Definitely not," Hamilton indicated during Wednesday's press conference, quoted by the AD. "I don't really know what to expect with this car. Red Bull were very close two years back, and if you see how small the gap between us is now, it's quite possible that they'll be here in front of us again."

In any case, Saturday's qualifying will play a big role in Sunday's results. "Where you finish on Saturday is often where you finish on Sunday here," the Brit continued. "Overtaking is very difficult. There are races on the calendar that are a lot more fun, especially for us drivers. But it's also always cool to be back here after a year away."