Ferrari struggles in Saudi Arabia - Hamilton and Leclerc's qualifying disappointments

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia -- Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton faces a challenging Grand Prix after qualifying seventh for the Saudi Arabian event, lagging 0.531 seconds behind teammate Charles Leclerc, who secured fourth. Throughout practice, Hamilton felt "nowhere," expressing relief at merely reaching the top ten.

Hamilton shared his difficulties: "I've been nowhere all weekend... I feel grateful to have got to Q3 and P7. Trying to find the time to bond with this car on single lap is something I'm finding very difficult... [but] we don't give up and there's always a way."

Following his more positive experience in Bahrain, Hamilton hoped for improved performance, only to admit further challenges in Saudi Arabia. "Ultimately I'm lacking a lot of pace... I'll go back to the drawing board and keep working. My Q3 laps are pretty poor, so I need to work on that," he stated.

Leclerc also expressed disappointment with Ferrari's pace, finishing 0.424 seconds behind pole-sitter Max Verstappen. Although qualifying fourth, he felt underwhelmed by the car's performance but remained cautiously optimistic about the race outcome. "I'm far from pleased... I don't expect miracles... a miracle can only be a win. The podium I think is possible but it's reliant on the start," Leclerc concluded.

Both drivers are determined to make the most of race day despite setbacks, emphasizing perseverance over immediate results.

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