Hamilton admits falling short after P9 in Bahrain: ‘Just qasn't quick today’

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

Lewis Hamilton looked disheartened after a disappointing ninth-place qualifying result for Ferrari in Bahrain on Saturday, expressing that it was "definitely not a good feeling for sure." The British driver is approaching his fourth race since his highly anticipated move to Ferrari, but the initial excitement appears to be fading.

Hamilton's first Q3 run was invalidated due to exceeding track limits, and he subsequently qualified far behind teammate Charles Leclerc, who secured third place and was six-tenths of a second faster. An apologetic Hamilton conveyed his regrets to his Ferrari team via team radio, and his interaction with the media was notably short and terse.

"I don't have a lot of answers for you guys, just wasn't quick today," the seven-time world champion stated, offering brief responses. "I'm just not doing a good enough job on my side so I've got to keep improving."

When asked if this was the lowest point of his Ferrari tenure, Hamilton replied, "It's definitely not a good feeling for sure." He acknowledged Leclerc's strong performance, saying, "Clearly the car is good enough [to be higher], which is good."

Hamilton stirred controversy after the Japanese Grand Prix by implying discrepancies between his car and Leclerc's. However, he confirmed that these issues had been resolved, merely stating, "That's been resolved."

Despite the challenging qualifying session, Hamilton remains hopeful for Sunday's race.

As the Bahrain Grand Prix looms, Ferrari enthusiasts will be eager to see if Hamilton can overcome his setbacks and deliver a performance worthy of his illustrious career.

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