Alarming admission from Lewis Hamilton: "Maybe I'm not as fast anymore"

Today at 02:43 PM

There was a four-tenths gap between George Russell and Lewis Hamilton in SQ3 in Qatar. The British champion couldn't find speed in qualifying and, at the end of the session, offered a sobering observation.

This isn't the first time Lewis Hamilton has faced challenges in qualifying. The 39-year-old, rumored to be heading to Ferrari, has struggled to match teammate George Russell's pace over a single lap. Following Sprint Qualifying in Qatar, Lewis Hamilton appeared despondent as he spoke to journalists: "Every qualifying session, it's always the same story…"

"I'm just slow, it's the same every weekend," he admitted to F1TV. The Briton avoided offering any excuses: "The car was actually quite good; I had no problems. There's not much to say…"

Resigned to his performance, Sir Lewis took a moment to wish his teammate well: "The positive thing is that the car is fast. George should have a chance to fight for pole on Saturday!"

"Is it something about me? Who knows… Maybe I’m not as fast anymore," Lewis Hamilton continued during his post-SQ3 interviews at the 5.419-kilometre Lusail International Circuit, sounding defeated. Has the champion lost his edge as he approaches 40, or is it simply a lack of confidence with the current Mercedes on single-lap runs? Ferrari fans will find out soon enough, but the seven-time world champion still knows how to deliver stellar race performances.

Despite his recent struggles in qualifying, #44 can rely on his excellent race management. However, for Lewis Hamilton, that's not enough: "The race simulations didn't even seem bad, but when you're always stuck at the back like I am, it becomes impossible to fight for victory… We'll see what can be done on Saturday," he concluded at the end of the Sprint Qualifying session in Qatar.

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