Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton expressed his sadness following a difficult qualifying session for Ferrari. It was a tough day in action at the Bahrain Grand Prix. On Saturday, Hamilton earned the ninth place starting position. His teammate, Charles Leclerc, qualified third on a fantastic effort, beating him by six tenths. This result represents an ignominious low point for Hamilton. Fans couldn’t wait for him to join Ferrari before the season had even begun, and they generated an energy-filled environment unlike anything else.
In the qualifying session, Hamilton’s first run in Q3 was ruled out because of a track limits violation. As he walked through the media pen late that night, Hamilton was quiet, talkative only in the softest of tones. Even so, the weight of the day’s events clearly weighed on him. When asked by an ESPN reporter about his expectations for the race, he noted, “Hopefully top five… I’ll try and see if I can get into the top five, let’s see.”
Hamilton’s feelings were prophetic across team radio, as he made his apologies personally to his former Ferrari squad. He said he was “very, very ashamed” for having underperformed, making no excuses for incidents that stemmed from him missing the mark on the racetrack.
He further elaborated on his performance, indicating that he felt he wasn’t quick enough during qualifying and that he lacked answers for his team regarding his car’s issues. Even before the Japanese Grand Prix he’d been questioning the lack of correlation between his car’s performance and Leclerc’s. His previous statements suggested these differences.
“Clearly the car is good enough [to be higher] which is good,” – Lewis Hamilton
This current reality is a stark juxtaposition to the raucous and celebratory welcome Hamilton was given upon switching to Ferrari. There was great expectation after his move from Mercedes, as boisterous supporters believed he would be the one to finally bring the Scuderia back to glory. As Hamilton approaches his fourth Ferrari campaign, the mood music suggests there is pressure on him. His recent results mask just how hard he’s struggled to adapt to this new world.
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