Hamilton reflects on qualifying: 'I'm just slow'
Lewis Hamilton candidly addressed his ongoing struggles in qualifying after securing only the seventh spot on the grid for the upcoming sprint race in Qatar. With a tone of resignation, the Mercedes driver acknowledged his performance deficit, simply stating, "I’m just slow."
The scenario unfolded in Hamilton's penultimate race weekend with Mercedes, as he prepares for a notable move to Ferrari. Despite a relatively decent feeling in the car, Hamilton could not surpass the seventh-place finish in Friday's sprint qualifying, trailing 0.399 seconds behind teammate George Russell. This performance continues a trend for Hamilton, as Russell has managed to edge him out 22-6 in their qualifying battles throughout the season. Russell, having clinched second place for the Qatar sprint race, brings into sharp contrast Hamilton's struggle to find form.
Reflecting on his tenure, Hamilton, a seven-time champion, expressed doubt about his current pace compared to his peak years. "Who knows. I'm definitely not fast anymore," he admitted during an interview with F1 TV. This honest introspection from the most successful qualifier in F1 history highlights a critical juncture in his illustrious career.
Hamilton's challenges with the latest generation of F1 cars have been well documented. The driver has openly discussed the difficulty in adapting his driving style to extract optimal single-lap performance from these machines. While his race pace has shown competitive promise against Russell, starting positions have fundamentally hampered his ability to contend for victories.
"The long run [pace in practice] didn't feel too bad," Hamilton conceded. But he quickly acknowledged the reality of his situation, noting the near impossibility of vying for wins from lower grid positions. Despite these hurdles, he remains determined to make an impact in the sprint race, "But that's the sprint, I'll do what I can tomorrow."
Hamilton's reflections paint a portrait of a racing icon navigating through a period of transition and challenge. As he gears up for what promises to be a gripping sprint race in Qatar, the motorsport community will be watching closely to see if the legendary competitor can turn his fortunes around on the track.
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