Hamilton already pushing for 2019 improvements:”We need Max in the title fight”

The reigning F1  World Champion Lewis Hamilton clearly relishes a good battle, and although he has his hands full keeping the championship away from Ferrari’s reach this season. The Mercedes drives would welcome having “fighter” Max Verstappen in the mix with the Honda-powered Red Bull next year. "I had this meeting with the guys, and if you can see this energy with everyone, it is really – I find it really inspiring," he said. "We started off the year, I felt great, and then we tailed off and we had some struggles with the understanding of the car, how to utilise the equipment that we had tyre-wise and balance-wise, we had a couple of so-so races, and then luckily we found our footing. "We're going from strength to strength as a team in our understanding of the car, how to utilise the tools that we have. We are far more comfortable at our job right now - six races ago we were definitely questioning, but I think we've now figured the car out, we know where we are and we know what we have got to do. "Also in those meetings, I pushed them a lot about next year's car. I know what I need improving." "I am pushing the guys because they have to sign off things now for next year's tests already," said Hamilton. "And I'm saying, 'Can you bring things forward? Please make this component which takes a lot of work but I might get it to the race - because I want to feel it on a race weekend, rather than next year in February or March.' "When we start testing it is too late, so I am keeping the pressure on these guys."

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