“I’m definitely not fast anymore”

Lewis Hamilton has issued a damning verdict on his personal performances in Formulation 1 proper now – saying “I’m undoubtedly not quick anymore.”

The seven-time world champion endured one other troublesome qualifying session in Qatar on Friday, as he ended up seventh on the grid for the dash race.

This was 5 locations behind his team-mate George Russell, who was 0.399 seconds sooner as he secured a spot on the entrance row alongside pole place man Lando Norris.

After a season the place Hamilton has struggled to get on prime of his automobile in qualifying, having crushed Russell simply six instances versus 22 in all aggressive periods to this point (5-17 excluding sprints), F1’s pole place file holder has prompt that he is probably not pretty much as good as he as soon as was.

Requested whether or not the problem was of Hamilton’s personal making, he mentioned: “Who is aware of? I am undoubtedly not quick anymore.”

Hamilton was clear that the relative lack of tempo in comparison with Russell in Qatar was the results of him not performing, fairly than it being any drawback together with his automobile.

“Similar as each different qualifying, not that nice,” he mentioned. “I am simply gradual and similar each weekend. So yeah, automobile felt comparatively first rate. No, no points, and not likely rather more to say.”

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15

Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Pictures

Whereas Hamilton has usually discovered himself higher in relative phrases in race tempo in comparison with qualifying, he says that he’s nonetheless leaving himself with an excessive amount of to do by beginning races to this point again.

“The long term did not really feel too dangerous, however once you’re at all times again the place I’m, it makes it very laborious to be competing for – nicely virtually not possible just about – to be competing for wins from there. However that is the dash. I will do what I can tomorrow.”

Requested if the reset for qualifying on Saturday night time would provide him an opportunity to do higher, Hamilton mentioned: “Not significantly, no. I imply, the optimistic is that the automobile is quick, and George ought to be out to shoot for pole tomorrow.”