Hamilton says F1's 18-inch tyres have been hard to master

Lewis Hamilton has said he has struggled to extract the best from Formula 1's tyres since the switch from 13-inch to 18-inch wheels in 2022. The Mercedes driver holds the record for pole positions and took his 105th at the Mexican Grand Prix, but only two of those have come in the five seasons since the change, both by margins of less than a hundredth of a second.

Hamilton said he knew he had the pace for pole in Mexico, but that getting the tyres working was the key. He described a narrow operating window in which the tyres go from good to overheating, and said adapting his driving style to the 18-inch tyre has been a challenge. He added that he was able to revive techniques he had not used for around 13 years during qualifying, and that the thinner sidewalls make tyre temperatures harder to manage on out-laps.