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Hamilton backs Mercedes' 'potential to win' in second half of season

After back-to-back double podiums for the team in France and Hungary, Lewis Hamilton feels confident that Mercedes are closing the gap to their rivals as the season progresses.

Lewis Hamilton believes that Mercedes have the potential to be in the fight for wins in the second half of the 2022 F1 season. The Silver Arrows ended on a high note before the sport's summer break, with Hamilton and teammate George Russell taking back-to-back double podiums at the French and Hungarian Grands Prix. Hamilton finished P2 in Hungary after starting from seventh on the grid, having experienced an issue with his DRS during Saturday's qualifying. If things had been slightly different, Hamilton thinks that a victory may have been on the cards at the Hungaroring.

Hamilton assesses chances of win in 2022

When asked if could win a race during the rest of the campaign, Hamilton told media, including RacingNews365.com : "I hope so. That's what we're working towards. "I think this weekend, there was a potential for a win. You saw George on pole. I think if we had both been up there, I think we probably could have worked a bit better together as a team. "One of us would have had to support each other strategy-wise. But I think if we are able to take this pace into the second half of the season, for sure we can start to fight with the [other] guys."

How Mercedes compare to Ferrari and Red Bull

Mercedes were able to beat both Ferraris in Hungary, though could not match the pace of race winner Max Verstappen. Hamilton is pleased that his team were able to challenge the Scuderia, but thinks that there is still a signifcant gap to Red Bull at the front. "This is the first time we've been able to fight and battle with a Ferrari. That's huge for us," Hamilton explained. "I think the Red Bulls probably still are ahead. The fact that Max started [10th] and spun and still was 10 seconds ahead says enough about their car, but I think we still have made huge progress and huge steps. "And so to have this consistency and two double podiums in these last two races gives us great hope and a huge push for the second half [of the season]."

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