Lewis Hamilton believes Mercedes "can really take the fight" to Red Bull at this weekend's Mexico City Grand Prix.
A final major upgrade of the season brought to Mercedes' W14 at last weekend's United States Grand Prix gave Hamilton a car that could have finished ahead of world champion Max Verstappen if it hadn't been for a poor strategy choice.
Hamilton ultimately lost his second place after Mercedes were found after the race to have breached a technical regulation by running the car too low to the ground, but the seven-time world champion remains hugely optimistic about the impact of the updates.
- Lewis Hamilton: More cars would've been disqualified at US GP if checked
- Sky F1's live Mexico City GP schedule
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Asked in Mexico City on Thursday about his prospects at the event and next weekend's Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Hamilton said: "I definitely think it's always difficult to be able to say, 'hey, it's going to be good here, it's going to be good there.'
"But we have definitely taken a step forward and over these next four races I can't predict which one we're going to be closer and which one we may or may not be further away.
"I think we were close here last year, so hopefully we'll be a little bit closer maybe this weekend.
"If we get the strategy right this weekend, maybe we can really take the fight to them."
Red Bull have won all but one of this season's 19 Grands Prix, while Mercedes' only victory since new design regulations were introduced at the start of the 2022 season came at last year's Sao Paulo Grand Prix, with George Russell leading Hamilton home in a one-two.
He added: "And then Brazil was a great circuit for us last year, and if it turns out we're closer again there, then that's two great strong races for us.
"And then when you go to Abu Dhabi, I think the gap gets bigger again, so it's these next two that I think we have our best chance."
Verstappen expects 'tough' weekend | 'Not our best track'
Mercedes' hopes of claiming a first 2023 victory could also be boosted by the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez not being the best-suited circuit for the dominant RB19.
Verstappen, who is seeking to break the record he set last year by claiming a 16th win of the campaign in Mexico, is expecting Red Bull to have multiple challengers.
"I personally don't think this is our best track on the calendar," the Dutchman said on Thursday.
"Looking at the behaviour of our car this year, with the low-speed corners and the kerbing as well, our car's just not very good on that.
"So I do expect it to be tough, especially over one lap. The race, I don't really know. Normally we've been always quite decent in race trim, but over one lap I do think it's going to be quite a tight battle.
"Not only Mercedes, I think Ferrari as well, McLaren - lately they've been very strong as well over one lap."
'I was able to send it more' - Hamilton explains upgrade gains
Hamilton's disqualification in Austin came after the skid pads beneath the plank of his car were found to have worn beyond the legal level during the race.
The Brit insisted on Thursday that any performance gain as a result of running the car lower than is allowed was minimal, and that the upgrades were the main factor behind his season-best display.
After a hugely disappointing 2022 campaign, Mercedes stuck with a flawed design philosophy that they eventually abandoned earlier this season, which had left Hamilton frustrated both at the car's performance and at his point of view having not been sufficiently considered in the design process.
However, he says the changes implemented at Circuit of The Americas have finally given him the confidence to find his best form.
He said: "Well firstly being able to feel the upgrade is one thing, which of course that's always what they hope you would do, but just with the way our car has been over the past year, we'd add something and you wouldn't be able to feel it.
"Rear end is always the area that I've always wanted improved, particularly because of the lack of rear end you have, that lack of confidence to attack the corners.
"The step that we took there just gave me the confidence to be able to send it more, and I need more.
"It was a great feeling from lap one, and I think because of that, probably if it was a tenth upgrade, I probably got two tenths out of it just because of the extra confidence that I was able to carry throughout the race."
When to watch the Mexico City GP live only on Sky Sports F1
Friday 27 October
7pm: Mexico City GP Practice One
8:45pm: The F1 Show
10:45pm: Mexico City GP Practice Two (also on Sky Sports Main Event)
Saturday 28 October
6.15pm: Mexico City GP Practice Three
9pm: Mexico City GP Qualifying build-up (also on Sky Sports Main Event)
10pm: Mexico City GP Qualifying (also on Sky Sports Main Event)
Sunday 29 October
6.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday Mexico City GP build-up (also on Sky Sports Main Event)
8pm: The MEXICO CITY GRAND PRIX (also on Sky Sports Main Event)
10pm: Chequered Flag: Mexico City GP
F1 is in Mexico for the middle leg of the Americas triple header. Watch the whole Mexico City Grand Prix weekend live on Sky Sports F1 from Friday, with Sunday's race at 8pm. Stream F1 on Sky Sports with NOW