Lewis Hamilton puts pressure on Mercedes as Brit ‘ready’ to fight Max Verstappen for title | F1 | Sport

Lewis Hamilton has claimed he is “ready” to win an eighth F1 world championship as he piled pressure on the engineers at Mercedes to provide him with a race-winning car this season. Hamilton has explained he is prepared to battle for the crown if Mercedes deliver him a car capable of battling Max Verstappen and Red Bull.

The seven-time champion stressed 2023 was the “best” he has ever prepared in a bid to secure the record-breaking crown. Hamilton told Fox Sports Australia: “I’m ready to win a world championship, I’ve prepared the best way I can this year. I think it’s the best I’ve ever prepared.

“If the car comes correct tomorrow I’ll be ready to fight for the world championship but unfortunately it’s not the case or reality at the moment. But I’m working with everyone here or back at the factory together.”

However, Hamilton has struggled against team-mate George Russell this season. The Briton leads the ex-Williams star by 20 points in the Drivers’ Championship but this is mainly due to the 25-year-old’s retirement in Australia.

In qualifying, Russell is 3-0 up on Hamilton this campaign and showing he is ready to mix it at the front. Russell finished above Hamilton in the standings last season in an excellent debut campaign at the German manufacturer.

Hamilton’s former team-mate Nico Rosberg has warned Russell could well be his biggest test in years. Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Rosberg explained: “George is the ultimate test, he is a future world champion. It is difficult for Lewis to stay in front.

“George had an awesome season last year and that is continuing.”

Martin Brundle also feels Russell is close to matching Hamilton in his second season. The commentator even explained he could step in as the team’s No 1 driver when he walks away.

He told Sky Sports News: “George is driving beautifully. I think there’s very little to choose between those two and that is a massive compliment to George Russell because we know just how brilliant Lewis Hamilton is and how motivated he is.

“What it tells Mercedes-Benz is for example, should Lewis retire, decides he’s had enough at any given point, they’ve got George Russell already who is really up to the job in qualifying and in the race.”