Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton continue to struggle in the F1 season and no longer consider themselves title contenders as the search for a solution to end the car's bouncing continues.
Lewis Hamilton was set to be in the Mercedes factory on Monday "to see what we can improve" in what has been terrible start into the Formula One season for the seven-time world champion and his team.
Lapped by race winner and title holder Max Verstappen in Sunday's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix en route to a dismal 13th-place finish, Hamilton and team boss Toto Wolff admitted after just four of 23 races that their car was not good enough to compete for titles.
"I'm out of the championship, for sure. There is no question about it," Hamilton said after the Imola race.
"But I'll still keep working as hard as I can, to try and pull it back together somehow."
A third-place finish at the season-opener in Bahrain is Hamilton's best result has he languishes in seventh place in the standings, 58 points behind leader Charles Leclerc of Ferrari.
Mercedes are third in the constructors' list behind Ferrari and Red Bull and according to Wolff that place is also the best they can hope for this year, and "not more."
"That is definitely not a position we want to be in. There are 19 races ahead of us, a lot can be made up. But I would be happy if we could come somewhat closer to the teams up front and drive for top placings before dreaming of a world championship," Wolff told Sky TV.
Hamilton got stuck in traffic on Sunday while team-mate George Russell at least managed fourth place but Wolff remained realistic.
"We saw with George what our car can do in clear air but it's still not good enough," Wolff said.
The main problem is still bouncing, or porpoising, on the straights.
"The fundamental issue that overshadows everything is that our car is porpoising more than others. And because of the bouncing we are not able to run it where it should run," Wolff said.
"I wonder how the two of them can even keep the car on the track at times."
Russell said: "Except for the bouncing the car feels really good to drive but the bouncing really takes your breath away. I hope we find a solution because it is not sustainable for the drivers."
Mercedes will be making another attempt to solve the problem before F1 heads to a first-ever race in Miami on May 8.
Said Hamilton: "I hope for a better weekend in Miami, it will be difficult but I'll try and get myself in a positive headspace for the next one."
