Hamilton is plagued by self-doubt: I’m just slow!”

Hamilton is plagued by self-doubt: I’m just slow!”

In a surprising twist to Formula 1 qualifying, Lewis Hamilton spoke out after his disappointing seventh-place finish in sprint qualifying in Qatar. The British star driver, who will compete for Ferrari from next season, appears to be unhappy with his current performance. "I'm just slow. Like every weekend," emphasized the 39-year-old, who blames himself for his ranking. Hamilton, traditionally known for his confidence, assured that the car itself performed well but felt humiliated by its lack of speed. “I’m just not fast anymore,” he said. This realization could be alarming for the Ferrari team, which is looking forward to his services as he is expected to shine in the new race car.

In addition, Hamilton's contract with Mercedes caused additional stress as he cannot prepare his move to Ferrari as desired. Loud Independent Mercedes boss Toto Wolff prevented Hamilton from ending his contract early. Ferrari's upcoming test after the final race in Abu Dhabi is in jeopardy with Hamilton tied to his sponsorship commitments until December 31st. Hamilton himself has expressed ambivalence about driving the Ferrari for the first time and believes the delay could complicate the start of his new season. “I’m definitely missing something,” he admitted, “it delays the process and makes the start of the season more difficult.”

Hamilton has already won twice in his final season with Mercedes and is looking forward to finishing the year with the team on a high level. “All I want is for us to do our best and finish the last two races with a win,” he added. In an emotional conclusion to his Mercedes career, Hamilton is determined to give it his all in the remaining races and come away with a strong performance.