Hamilton casts doubt on Ferrari’s potential ‘escape plan’ vs Mercedes in Japan

Speaking to the media at the Suzuka International circuit, the seven-time world champion was questioned on whether Ferrari could build a significant gap to avoid being caught and overtaken, a theme that has occurred in previous races this season.

However, Hamilton played down such a possibility, highlighting just how closely matched the two teams have been so far.

“I think we have very similar speeds through the corners, so... I'd be guessing,” Hamilton explained. “If you look at the other races, they've been just as quick through the corners, I would say,” he added.

“But yes, mostly when they open up the assembly, they've been really strong. So it'll be interesting to see what deployment schedule they have compared to us. That's always the biggest difference when the weekend starts,” the Brit concluded.

Across the opening two race weekends of the season, Ferrari have often gained an early advantage off the line, but Mercedes have fought back during the race to secure victory on both occasions.

Suzuka, however, could present a different challenge. Its iconic high-speed Esses are expected to play a key role, potentially favouring the Maranello-based outfit.

Hamilton has again expressed his delight with the current regulations, describing them as what he considers racing should be.

The 41-year-old, in his assessment, also noted how closely the regulations allow cars to follow each other, something he stresses he has yet to experience throughout his two-decade-long racing career.

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