Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton has admitted that he felt like he was driving “in a different category” during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Hamilton has finished behind Mercedes teammate George Russell in both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, with P5 and P9 results respectively.
It is a far cry from three years ago where Hamilton would be the person to beat on track, something the 39-year-old is all too aware of.
Lewis Hamilton: Driving for Mercedes “not fun”
After taking home just two points from the fast-paced street circuit in Jeddah, Hamilton felt like he was at a major disadvantage compared to the rest of the grid.
Chequered flag on a tough night in Jeddah. It’s P6 for George, P9 for Lewis. We’ll be working hard to improve ahead of Australiapic.twitter.com/Uy6yCxfbdE
“It was like I was in a different category when I was going through the high speed with the other guys around me,” he toldAutosport.
“I wouldn’t say I’m having fun,” he added. “I mean, I’m racing for ninth, so I definitely can’t say that. Finishing ninth is definitely not fun.
“But I am enjoying the actual racing part. And I was hunting and I was pushing as hard as I could, I was maximising everything I had with the car, I was right on the edge.
“It was just unfortunately really lacking performance in the high-speed, where they were walking all over us.”
It wasn’t all bad for Hamilton, however, as the Mercedes star conceded that there is a route back to the top for the team.
“There are positives. The car is good in low speed. We have to add a lot of load in the high-speed. I think if we were able to do that then I think it puts us in the fight. But we’ve got some work to do.”
Hamilton returns to action on Sunday, March 24 as F1 heads to Australia for lights out at the Albert Park Circuit, Melbourne.
Matt Hobkinson was a Senior Sports Writer at Dexerto. Matt is a dedicated football and Formula 1 fan and brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the sports. He has previously worked at PA Media, Manchester Evening News, Chronicle Live, Leeds Live and others covering the region’s football clubs and sports stars.
