Lewis Hamilton Tops Day Two of Saudi Arabia F1 Testing as Mercedes Shows Promising Pace

Lewis Hamilton delivered an encouraging performance for Mercedes on Tuesday, setting the fastest time of 1:28.203 during the second day of Formula 1 pre-season testing at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Saudi Arabia, suggesting the Silver Arrows may have found solutions to the aerodynamic issues that plagued their 2025 campaign.

The seven-time world champion completed 156 laps in the upgraded W17, demonstrating both impressive pace and reliability as Mercedes continues their development push following a winless 2025 season. Hamilton's benchmark time came during the afternoon session and was two-tenths faster than Red Bull's Sergio Perez, indicating that the championship battle could be closer than many predicted.

"The car feels much better than this time last year," Hamilton said after climbing out of the Mercedes cockpit. "We've made significant changes to the floor and suspension, and you can feel the improvements in balance and predictability. It's still early days, but the signs are encouraging. The team has worked incredibly hard over the winter, and it's great to see that effort translating to performance on track."

Mercedes' improved showing comes as welcome news for a team that struggled with porpoising and correlation issues throughout the previous season. The W17's consistent lap times and trouble-free running suggest the Brackley-based squad may have addressed their fundamental problems, potentially returning them to championship contention after two years in the wilderness.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc finished third fastest with teammate Carlos Sainz fourth, while McLaren's Oscar Piastri rounded out the top five. The competitive times across multiple teams suggest the 2026 season could feature the closest championship fight in years, with several constructors appearing capable of challenging for victories from the season opener.

Hamilton's positive test results provide genuine optimism that Mercedes could return to race-winning form after their recent struggles. His experience combined with teammate George Russell's consistent feedback has helped the team identify key areas for improvement, and the early signs from Jeddah testing indicate their winter work may pay dividends. With just two weeks remaining before the Bahrain Grand Prix season opener, Mercedes appears to have rediscovered the competitive edge that made them so dominant during Hamilton's championship-winning years with the team.