Lewis Hamilton will get Mercedes' upgrades in Canada (Image: GETTY)
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has confirmed that Lewis Hamilton will have the same upgrades as George Russell for the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend
Toto Wolff has assured that Lewis Hamilton will be on equal footing with George Russell in terms of upgrades at this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix.
This news follows Hamilton’s previous concerns, which he aired after noticing that only Russell had been given a new front wing in Monaco last month.
Lewis Hamilton had hinted to journalists that this disparity might have contributed to Russell outperforming him in qualifying at the prestigious track.
Due to time constraints, Mercedes were only able to produce one new front wing for the Monaco Grand Prix and it was given to Russell.
Russell has since explained that it was Hamilton who decided against a coin flip to determine who would receive the upgrade, proposing instead that the younger Briton should benefit from the new components.
While Monaco is not typically the best location for testing new equipment, the updates seemed to aid Russell in securing fifth place, matching his season’s best result.
With the Canadian Grand Prix on the horizon, team boss Wolff has confirmed that both of his drivers will have access to the improved front wing and additional new parts.
The Austrian reflected positively on the Monaco performance: “We had an encouraging weekend in Monaco. We continued to make solid progress with our car, improving its overall balance and taking a step closer to those ahead.
“That progress isn’t yet showing in terms of positions but if we can continue to close the gap to the fastest cars, we know it will in due course.
“Both drivers will have the updated front wing in Canada, plus some other development items for this event.”
He also noted the benefits of the new parts: “It offered a small lap time gain around the tight streets of the Principality and should offer greater benefit on upcoming circuits.
“That said, the picture at the front of the field is incredibly competitive. The field has compressed, and we are under no illusions that others will continue to improve.
“We will have to continue to work hard and diligently to get ourselves into the mix.”
Wolff remains hopeful for his team’s prospects at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, adding: “It offers a mix of low-speed corners and high-speed straights which makes for great racing.”
“We always enjoy returning to Montreal as the fans are incredibly passionate about F1. We’ve enjoyed many good moments there over the years and hopefully we can add to those this weekend.”
