Hamilton: Barcelona a good benchmark

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Lewis Hamilton says next Sunday’s Spanish GP should be a “good benchmark of the progress” Mercedes have made since testing in March…

Lewis Hamilton says next Sunday’s Spanish GP should be a “good benchmark of the progress” Mercedes have made since testing in March.

The Barcelona circuit is arguably the most well-known to any Formula One driver as it is the venue for most of the pre-season testing as well as the Spanish GP.

It is also the venue that many believe will shine a spotlight on the sport’s pecking order.

Already this season three different drivers have triumphed in the opening four races, however, it’s the winner of the Spanish GP that many are waiting for.

Although last season the Barcelona victor, Pastor Maldonado, did not amount to anything, those who do well at Barcelona traditionally do well throughout the season.

However, it is not only a place to compare teams to rival outfits but also for teams to judge how far they have come since the start of the season.

“We’ve been boosted by the results that we’ve had at the start of the season and to come away from the first four races with two third and two fifth places feels like a real achievement,” said the Mercedes driver.

“I’m feeling very comfortable in the car now and we know the areas that we need to improve so a lot of effort is being put in to close that gap to the front-runners.

“Barcelona should be a good test as we know the circuit so well having completed most of the pre-season test programme there.

“The weekend should be a good benchmark of the progress we have made since then.”

As for team-mate Nico Rosberg, he believes Barcelona is more often than not a good indicator of the true pecking order.

“It will be an interesting weekend and once we see how everyone performs in Barcelona, it should give a good idea of how the rest of the season will look,” he said.

Mercedes head to Barcelona fourth in the Constructors’ Championship while Hamilton is third in the Drivers’ standings, 27 points behind Sebastian Vettel. Rosberg is ninth.