Lewis Hamilton has called on his Mercedes team to make “big changes” if they are to reel in runaway championship leaders Red Bull this Formula One season. The seven-time world champion finished a disappointing seventh in Bahrain and ninth in Saudi Arabia to start the year, leaving him already 43 points adrift of Max Verstappen in the drivers’ standings.

Despite significant updates to the Mercedes car over the winter, Hamilton says the Brackley squad has not gone far enough in their concept changes to properly challenge Red Bull, Ferrari and the other frontrunners.

“We have definitely got to make some big changes,” Hamilton told Sky Sports after the Saudi race. “We haven’t made big enough changes, perhaps. If you look at the three teams ahead of us, they still have a different concept to where we are in some areas. So we have got some performance to add, for sure.”

The Briton cited a lack of high-speed performance as a particular weakness compared to Red Bull, Ferrari and others. “The car is good in the low speed and not so bad in the medium, but in the high speed we are miles off,” he lamented.

Hamilton’s comments come amid news that he will be leaving Mercedes at the end of 2024 to join Ferrari, ending his long and successful partnership with the German marque. Though he plans to give his all this season to end on a high note at Mercedes, the 38-year-old knows the team has work to do.

“It’s frustrating for sure to be three years in a row almost in the same position,” said Hamilton. “It’s definitely tough, but we’ll get our heads down, keep working away, and I know everyone back in the factory is pushing as hard as they can.”