Ahead of the start of the European season in F1 at Imola next weekend, Lewis Hamilton says he’ll be on numerous Zoom calls to keep the team motivated after a difficult start to the season for the eight-time defending Constructors’ Champions.

“There’s a lot of work and there’ll be a lot of calls, naturally,” Hamilton stated when asked by MotorLAT about his plans before Imola.

“I’m on a lot of Zoom calls with all the sponsors and our bosses, really trying to rally them up. We’ve got some improvements that we need to make. And we need everyone’s support in doing so, just making sure we leave no stone unturned.

“It’s making sure the hunger is really there and we’re maximising absolutely every moment.

“I’m chasing the people that are in the wind tunnel, the aero guys, and just looking at absolutely every single area. There’s performance to be gained in some areas that we know.

“And we need it now. Not in two or three races as we all know as a team. We have just got to keep that encouragement and keep that energy high.”

With only three races gone in the 2022 season, Hamilton is already a whopping 43 points behind championship leader Charles Leclerc.

And with Mercedes struggling with porpoising throughout winter testing and the first three races, a short-term turnaround seems extremely unlikely.

Nonetheless, the most successful driver in the history of Formula One is staying hopeful that he can get involved in the title fight with twenty races still remaining, as Mercedes will attempt to outdevelop Ferrari and Red Bull.

“I prefer to stay optimistic,” he said.

“There is 20 races to go. If you think realistically, with the way how the sport goes in terms of everyone’s development, the top teams often develop at a similar pace and similar rate. Will that be the case with this new car? Who knows.

“I’m really, really hoping we can get in the fight soon. But with every bit of improvement we will probably make, [Ferrari] and Red Bull will probably make a similar sort of step, so it’s not going be easy.

“And yes the gap is pretty big right now but there is a long way to go.”