New car a turning point for Hamilton

MERCEDES boss Toto Wolff believes Lewis Hamilton’s new car could fire him into world championship contention.

Hamilton delivered his best performance of the season at Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix after fighting back from an opening-lap collision with Kevin Magnussen to finish fifth.

Hamilton might be 64 points behind new championship leader Max Verstappen following the Dutchman’s third triumph in as many rounds at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya.

But with 416 points still on the table and Mercedes suddenly back in the groove, Wolff is hopeful Hamilton can get back into the title hunt.

“That looked like a world championship-winning race car that Lewis was driving,” said Wolff.

“His race pace was stunning and without the first-lap incident he would have challenged for the win.

“It reminded me of last year and the years before, when a car and driver are really on the top of their game. The race was so important for his morale and our morale, too.

“The car was like previous seasons, where you are more than 30 seconds behind the whole field and you come all the way to the front and near the podium. That is very encouraging and shows that we’ve made another step.”

Wolff’s declaration comes just four weeks after the Austrian apologised to Hamilton for an “undriveable” car in Imola. Hamilton finished 13th and a lap behind Verstappen.

But Mercedes’ first major upgrade of the 22-race campaign might have rescued their season.

Wolff added: “It is better than I expected because I am pessimistic. But we have pulled clear from the midfield and we have caught up by half-a-second to the frontrunners, when we were a second off in Miami. There is more to come.

“We have two unbelievable drivers and the right guys to sort our car out and bring us back to the front.”

Hamilton’s team-mate George Russell continued his fine start to life at Mercedes by taking third.