Lewis Hamilton and George Russell have high expectations for Mercedes at the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix following their fifth and sixth-place finishes in the 2023 Italian Grand Prix.

Hamilton, who is battling with Fernando Alonso for third place in the drivers’ championship, believes that the Marina Bay Circuit in Singapore, with its high-downforce nature, should suit Mercedes better. He expressed optimism about their performance, saying, “Singapore is high-downforce, so when we’ve got our high-downforce wing on, we generally are a little bit better. I hope I’m right.”

Hamilton has been consistently outperforming Alonso since the Spanish Grand Prix, and Singapore could present an opportunity for him to break into the top three. However, the competitiveness of the AMR23 car adds an element of uncertainty.

George Russell, who recently extended his Mercedes contract, is also hopeful for a stronger showing in Singapore. He acknowledged that Mercedes has struggled at circuits with lower downforce settings, such as Monza and Spa, compared to circuits with higher downforce configurations. Russell emphasized the need to understand the differences between the two setups to improve their performance consistently.

After a challenging season, Russell’s confidence in the W14 appeared to improve at Monza, where he finished as the lead Mercedes driver in fifth place. If he can maintain this form in Singapore, he may have a chance at securing his first podium of the season.

Both drivers are eager to see Mercedes return to the podium and compete at a higher level in the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix.