FORMULA 1 F1 CALENDAR 2026 LEWIS HAMILTON MOTOGP RUMOURS

Hamilton worries 'disappointing' scenario could be caused by FIA's leniency

Photo: Race Pictures

09:29, 07 Mar

byKada Sarkozi

Lewis Hamilton believes it would be disappointing if Mercedes has found so much time because of the much-debated compression ratio 'trick'.

"If they have a few months of that then the season's done."

- Lewis Hamilton

Mercedes dominated qualifying at the Australian Grand Prix as George Russell took pole position. Lewis Hamilton finished seventh this Saturday, around a second behind his former teammate.

Hamilton on the Mercedes compression ratio 'trick'

Speaking to GPblog among others, the Briton outlined what he believes would be a disappointing scenario.

"I don't understand it exactly. They didn't show that they could turn it up in testing and now they've got this extra power from somewhere, and we need to understand what that is. I hope that it’s not the compression ratio thing, hopefully it is just pure power and we've got to do a better job.

"But if it is the compression ratio, then I'll be disappointed that the FIA have allowed that to be the case. That it's not to the book. And I'll be pushing my team to do the same thing so we can get more power."

George Russell stormed to pole position today - Photo: Race Pictures

New rules will be introduced from June 1 onwards. GPblog has previously learned that Mercedes already complies with all the proposed tests that will apply from that day. The German manufacturer therefore does not have to change anything in the coming months.

When asked whether that rule change could affect anything, Hamilton argued that the gap to his former team could already be too large by then.

"If they have a few months of that then the season's done. I don't mean done but seven races, a few months, you lose a lot of points with a second behind in qualifying."