Hamilton demands Mercedes upgrades to overcome "impossible" Red Bull chase

Lewis Hamilton has urged Mercedes to bring upgrades to his W12 after suffering a comprehensive defeat to Max Verstappen in the Styrian Grand Prix.

The Red Bull driver enjoyed a third lights-to-flag win this year, finishing 35 seconds clear of Hamilton, although the margin of victory was skewed by Mercedes making a late pit stop to allow the seven-time F1 champion to claim the fastest lap bonus point.

The gap, however, was over 10 seconds before his late stop, with Verstappen faster in every facet of the weekend.

"It was a bit of a lonely race really," said Hamilton.

"I was trying to keep up with those guys but the speed they have, they have obviously made some improvements over the last couple of races and it was impossible to keep up.

"I don't know where we are losing all the time but their long runs seem to be better, they seem to be able to continue putting out those laps and on the straight, we lose a lot, or it feels like we lose a lot down the straights.

"Nonetheless, we got good points as a team today and we have just got to keep pushing."

On whether he was concerned by the title race getting out of hand with Red Bull clinching four race wins in a row, Hamilton added: "I try not to concern myself with it.

"Naturally, they are faster so there is not a lot that I can do in that respect. I have just got to try and keep doing the best job I can each weekend.

"We need to find performance, we need an upgrade of some sort, we need to push. I don't know where, whether it is just the rear wing or whether it is the upgrade to the engine, whatever it may be, we need to find performance from somewhere."

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