Lewis Hamilton: Ferrari and Red Bull will probably make a similar sort of step

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Mereces is still in big trouble, and will have to solve them urgently. Porpoising problems are still there, and Hamilton is increasingly impatient. "There's a lot of work, and there'll be a lot of calls, naturally," said Hamilton before the Imola race, as quoted by motorsport.

"I'm on a lot of Zoom calls with all the sponsors and our bosses, really trying to rally them up. "We've got some improvements that we need to make. And we need everyone's support in doing so, in just making sure we leave no stone unturned.

"It's in making sure the hunger is really there and we're maximizing absolutely every moment." Hamilton and the team must not rest and must move. That is why Hamilton is looking for solutions. "I'm chasing the people that are in the wind tunnel, the aero guys, and just looking at absolutely every single area," he said.

"There's performance to be gained in areas that we know. "And we need it now. Not in two or three races. We all know as a team that we have just got to keep that encouragement and keep that energy high." Lewis Hamilton is optimistic Lewis Hamilton is still an optimist despite everything but the question is how sincere.

"I prefer to stay optimistic" he said. "There are 20 races to go. If you think realistically, with the way how the sport goes in terms of everyone's development, the top teams often develop at a similar pace and similar rate.

Will that be the case with this new car? Who knows? "I'm really, really hoping we can get in the fight soon. But with every bit of improvement we will probably make, [Ferrari] and Red Bull will probably make a similar sort of step, so it's not going be easy. Yes the gap is pretty big right now. But there is a long way to go."