Hamilton admits ‘just not doing a good enough job’

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Lewis Hamilton’s usual spark was dimmed under the Bahrain floodlights on Saturday night after a disappointing qualifying result, where he could only manage ninth on the grid – six places behind Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc.

Despite Ferrari introducing a key floor upgrade aimed at closing the gap to their rivals, Hamilton couldn’t find the same performance Leclerc extracted from the SF-25, finishing a full second off the pole-winning time set by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.

Speaking candidly after the session, Hamilton was brief and self-critical when reflecting on his performance.

"It was pretty straightforward. Yeah, not much to say," he said. "I'm just not doing a good enough job on my side, so I just gotta keep improving it.”

A deleted lap for track limits in Q3 didn’t help Hamilton’s cause, though he refused to use it as an excuse.

“It didn’t help, but it wasn’t the worst-case scenario. It’s definitely not a good feeling, for sure,” he confessed, visibly disappointed.

©Ferrari

Hamilton’s uncertainty was striking. Asked where he could improve, he faltered: “I really don’t know… I really don’t know. I don’t have a lot of answers for you guys.”

The contrast with Leclerc’s third-place finish, just 0.334 seconds off pole, underscored the car’s capability. “Yeah, it’s good. The car is good enough, which is good,” Hamilton noted, acknowledging his teammate’s success.

A Step Forward for Ferrari

Despite his personal struggles, Hamilton praised Ferrari’s progress. The team’s first upgrade of the season – a reworked floor – showed promise: “The upgrades are definitely working”.

Looking to Sunday’s race, the seven-time world champion set a modest target for himself.

Read also: Leclerc credits setup gamble for ‘unexpected’ Bahrain qualifying P3

“Hopefully top five,” he confirmed. “I’ll try and see if I can get it to top 5, we’ll see.”

As Ferrari begins to show signs of upward momentum, Hamilton will be hoping Bahrain is just a stumble in what could still be a resurgent season.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.