Hamilton says Mercedes battling "plenty of problems"
Lewis Hamilton says Mercedes is battling "plenty of problems", as he admitted the engine reliability dramas that have hit the team are a worry.


Mercedes has had to swap engines three times during pre-season testing, following a failure for Valtteri Bottas in the first test and an oil pressure anomaly for Hamilton this week.
The issues, on the back of problems for Williams, have left Mercedes with the task of getting on top of the reliability issues before the season opener in Melbourne next week.
Reflecting on how the team's pre-season testing programme had gone, Hamilton said that while the potential of the car was clear, the team was still not totally happy with how things were going.
"I think we've had a good winter test," he said. "But it's not been perfect, we've found that we've got plenty of problems that we are trying to iron out.
"I don't know how long it will take to iron out but that is never a bad thing necessarily to discover through testing.
"But otherwise, I think our performance has been quite good in the sense of laps we've got, the mileage, apart from yesterday, and the processes and things we discovered along the way. I've no idea where we stand compared to the others, the team will probably have a better idea of that."
Read Also:
Asked if the engine troubles were a worry, Hamilton said: "Is it a concern? Yeah. For sure.
"Normally in the pre-season we have much more confidence in the reliability so it has not been perfect. We are on our second or third engine.
"So it is definitely not an easy or relaxed scenario for us. But I have every confidence in the guys back at the factory that they can do the best job they can in the next two weeks to make sure we start on the right foot."
Beyond the reliability issues though, Hamilton said that the W11 was at least a car he felt comfortable in.
"I don't know where everyone else is, but I understand the car well," he said. "I am comfortable and confident in terms of getting a car in Melbourne and knowing that I can attack and extract the most from it. But if that's going to be enough to be ahead of the others we will find out."

Ricciardo tops final morning of testing from Leclerc
Ferrari wants F1 assurances over coronavirus threat

Latest news
Why 2022 could be Leclerc's best chance to end his Monaco F1 curse
Charles Leclerc's ill-fortune at his home Formula 1 race is well-established. But his single lap pace and over longer runs during Friday practice will leave the Ferrari driver upbeat that he can make up for his Barcelona disappointment by finally recording a finish and perhaps even banking 25 world championship points in Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix...
The inevitable consequence of the Liberty F1 popularity boom
Sell out crowds at Formula 1 races are the norm rather than the exception these days, as grand prix racing is enjoying a massive boom under Liberty Media. But the Spanish Grand Prix highlighted numerous issues some circuits may face as demand for F1 soars
The danger for Red Bull in its Barcelona F1 team orders choice
OPINION: Red Bull walked into a team orders saga on its way to taking a Spanish Grand Prix 1-2 last weekend, where it took the lead of the 2022 Formula 1 world championships for the first time. But its decisions have added an element of risk to later races.
Why Mercedes' Spanish GP gains aren't as grand as they seemed
Mercedes' strong showing in last weekend's Spanish Grand Prix prompted team boss Toto Wolff to say it had halved its deficit to the leaders and its Formula 1 title chances were back on after a rocky start to the 2022 campaign. But a closer inspection of the team's performance suggests its gains aren't as grand as they first appeared
What's next for the Green Red Bull controversy?
From the 'pink Mercedes' to the 'Green Red Bull', the Silverstone-based team has received suspicious glares from up and down the Formula 1 paddock over its car design exploits. But after being cleared by the FIA over its Spanish Grand Prix updates amid a backdrop of cries of foul play, what's next in this saga?
Spanish Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2022
In an unusually hectic Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc was denied a dominant performance by his Ferrari engine letting go which allowed Max Verstappen to pick up the pieces. But numerous flashpoints kept the race twisting and turning throughout, with one perfect score from an emerging contender
How Verstappen overcame his and Red Bull’s errors to win in Spain
Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari engine disaster offered an open goal for Max Verstappen and Red Bull to strike, but the reigning Formula 1 world champion still had to solve multiple errors and profit from a begrudged assist from team-mate Sergio Perez, which created an unexpectedly eventful Spanish Grand Prix
Why Red Bull can win a Spanish GP that looked perfect for Ferrari
Formula 1's return to Spain on Friday ended with Ferrari leading the way from Mercedes, while Red Bull could only manage third fastest overall courtesy of Max Verstappen. But its chances of victory are far from remote with a deeper dig into the times despite Ferrari's strong start...