"Realistic" Hamilton says Mercedes can't yet be sure reliability problems won't strike again, despite his Monaco victory
Wednesday 15 June 2016 00:28, UK
Lewis Hamilton has sought to downplay the suggestion his 2016 season has 'turned a corner' by winning in Monaco.
After a series of setbacks at the start of his world title defence, Hamilton finally registered his first victory of the year at the sixth attempt by winning from third on the grid in the rain-affected Monaco GP two weeks ago.
With Nico Rosberg only seventh, Hamilton's previously large title deficit to his Mercedes team-mate has been cut to a more manageable 24 points heading to a Canadian GP where he has won four times.
But asked if he felt 2016 had turned a corner for him, Hamilton told Sky Sports F1: "Not really, it was just another race.
"Obviously, it was a better race than all the others I've had this year.
"For me, it doesn't really change a lot. It takes more races to make a big difference in the sense of knowing where we're going to have problems still.
"So I'm not coming here like it's all over and done with, we still might have problems. There are still things we have to work on and still things we need to rectify."
Mercedes are yet to suffer a race-ending mechanical retirement on either of their two cars this season - Hamilton and Rosberg's double DNF in Spain was caused by a collision - but have become increasingly concerned by glitches on their W07s at recent grands prix.
Fuel-pressure problems compromised Hamilton and Rosberg's attempts at pole position in Monaco and, amid a growing performance threat from Red Bull, team boss Toto Wolff has conceded there is "clearly work to do".
Asked if victory at the last race could nonetheless prove the springboard to a winning run into the summer, Hamilton cautioned: "Of course, I'd love that. But [it's] one race.
"We didn't get pole in the last race, just having that one win doesn't mean everything's going to be better from now on."
Hamilton's four wins and four poles from eight Canadian GPs means the triple world champion starts as favourite this weekend - but the 31-year-old insists it would be unwise to get ahead of himself despite his return to winning ways in Monaco.
"I'm just being very realistic," he stressed. "It has been a difficult season so far. As I said, one race does not change much. That's all I'm saying."
