Lewis Hamilton reflects on a challenging race weekend in Bahrain. After his worst-ever qualifying performance for Ferrari, the former champion was downcast. However, he managed to gain some positions during the race, and fans rewarded him with the title of Driver of the Day — a small consolation for Hamilton, who admitted that life at Ferrari can still feel unfamiliar.
Following the Bahrain GP, where Hamilton crossed the finish line in fifth place, the British driver revealed that he had to climb out of a significant slump. During qualifying, he clocked only the ninth fastest time, conceding six-tenths to Charles Leclerc. His mood after the Saturday event indicated that Hamilton was far from satisfied with the result, let alone his current form at Ferrari. This led to comparisons with his difficult final season at Mercedes, when the seven-time world champion also appeared defeated.
Speaking to the media in Bahrain, Hamilton explained how he had to motivate himself again before the race. “I retreated to my hotel and really had a conversation with myself,” he said. “I knew that the next day would offer new opportunities, so I tried to start a bit more positively.” So far, we can conclude that this worked. Hamilton demonstrated a good pace during the race and ultimately finished in P5, just behind Ferrari teammate Leclerc.
‘I’ll Get There Eventually’
“Of course, the qualification is not good enough,” Hamilton admitted. “But if I can get the car to the right level, like I managed to do in the second phase of the race, I should have better weekends. You can see that I can still race.” He acknowledged that the situation is more challenging than last year, but remains determined to improve: “It’s a very different car, and the qualifications are even worse this year than last year. I keep trying. I’ll get there. Eventually, I’ll get there.”
Several crucial differences compared to Mercedes mean that Hamilton sometimes still has to get used to his Ferrari vehicle. “The car really requires a different driving style, and I’m slowly getting used to it — as well as the setup,” he explained. Among other things, the conventional brakes — Carbon Industries at Mercedes and Brembo at Ferrari — and engine braking are causing him trouble. “I’ve never had to use engine braking,” said Hamilton, “but we do that a lot here. Also, the brakes are very different than before; they move a bit more.”
