Lewis Hamilton was unable to surpass McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in Jeddah as the struggles of Mercedes in the early part of the 2024 season were evident. Hamilton had a less than impressive performance at the Saudi Arabian GP. Mercedes faced difficulties in keeping up with McLaren in Jeddah, and both Hamilton and his teammate qualified in seventh and eighth place respectively, trailing behind the two Woking cars. The seven-time world champion failed to make any significant progress during the race and ultimately finished in ninth position. Now, Hamilton has expressed his dissatisfaction with only bringing a few points home for the team.
According to Hamilton, the weekend in Saudi Arabia was far from enjoyable for the British driver. The seven-time world champion emphasized that he had to fight hard to secure ninth place in the race. It is clear that Lewis Hamilton was not thrilled about racing for just two points, especially considering his status as the most successful driver in Formula 1 history.
On the other hand, Hamilton did mention that he found some enjoyment in racing against his rivals. The British driver believed that he pushed himself to the limit during the race, trying his best to gain as much ground as possible. With the streets of Jeddah as the backdrop, the seven-time world champion was on the edge, extracting every ounce of performance from the Mercedes W15.
Hamilton revealed that the Mercedes W15 performed well in low-speed corners. Additionally, the Silver Arrows seemed to be on par with McLaren in medium-speed corners. However, Hamilton admitted that the team still had a lot of work to do in order to match the competition in high-speed sections of the track.
Furthermore, Hamilton confessed that he felt as though he was competing in a different category at the Saudi Arabian GP. The seven-time world champion pointed out the significant difference in performance between Mercedes and their competitors in high-speed corners as the main reason for this feeling. It is clear that the Silver Arrows are lacking in this aspect.
Previously, Hamilton acknowledged that Mercedes needed to make improvements with in-season upgrades for the W15. The team has been unable to catch up with Red Bull and Ferrari so far. However, it remains to be seen if Hamilton and his teammate George Russell can potentially challenge for podium finishes in the upcoming races.