Hamilton downbeat: 2023 car "pretty much the same" as last year

Lewis Hamilton gave a downbeat assessment of the free practice sessions for the Formula Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

The Mercedes duo of George Russell and Hamilton finished in fifth and eleventh during the second free practice session, with Hamilton one second off the pace of Max Verstappen's Red Bull.

When asked if the second free practice session felt any better to the first, Hamilton responded to media: "Pretty much the same. So, one second off or whatever it was. but for me, I definitely struggled in the session. I've struggled in both sessions."

"We just continue to go into the details to improve the balance of the car to make it easier to drive. It's a tough car to drive, but I know everybody's working so hard at the factory, so it's just a matter of time and having to be patient."

When asked if the W14 was at least any better to drive than the troublesome W13 car from last season, Hamilton responded: "It's pretty much the same."