Lewis Hamilton apologized to his Ferrari team, acknowledging he is `not doing a good enough job` after qualifying ninth for the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Hamilton`s challenging start to his Ferrari career continued during Saturday`s qualifying at the Bahrain International Circuit. He finished significantly behind his teammate Charles Leclerc, who secured third place, while Oscar Piastri of McLaren took pole position.
Ferrari introduced an upgraded floor in Bahrain, but it appeared to offer minimal improvement for Hamilton. The seven-time world champion qualified behind drivers like Pierre Gasly of Alpine and Carlos Sainz of Williams.
After apologizing to his team over the radio, Hamilton told media that his performance was simply `poor` and that he is `just not doing the job`.
Speaking to media, Hamilton expressed regret to the team at the factory and the tifosi (Ferrari fans).
Hamilton secured his first Ferrari victory in a Chinese Grand Prix Sprint, but his best result in a full race remains seventh place in Japan the previous weekend. His highest starting position was fifth in China.
In post-qualifying comments, Hamilton reiterated his need for improvement, stating, `I`m just not doing a good enough job on my side so I`ve just got to keep improving.`
When asked if this was his lowest point with Ferrari, he admitted, `It`s definitely not a good feeling, for sure.`
Pressed on how to resolve the situation, Hamilton responded that he lacked immediate answers and simply `wasn`t quick today.`
Despite the setback, the 40-year-old Briton remained optimistic about Sunday`s race, hoping for a top-five finish.
Expert Karun Chandhok noted that Hamilton`s despondent interview mirrored his sentiments from the previous season with Mercedes, where he often struggled in qualifying.
Chandhok remarked that Hamilton`s comments sounded strikingly similar to his struggles last year, questioning if he was back in a Mercedes uniform. He highlighted the significant gap to Leclerc and the recurring theme of Hamilton`s qualifying difficulties.
Chandhok considered whether age might be affecting Hamilton`s qualifying pace, acknowledging that while age can diminish ultimate speed, a six-tenths gap to Leclerc was considerable.
