“I know I still have it,” says “slower” Hamilton

DOHA: Lewis Hamilton said he knew he “still made it” despite qualifying sixth for Sunday’s Qatar Grand Prix, almost half a second slower than Mercedes teammate George Russell.

The seven-time Formula 1 world champion, who will turn 40 next year when he moves to Ferrari, said after the seventh qualifying session for the sprint in Lusail on Friday that he was “definitely not fast anymore”.

He reiterated that sentiment to reporters after the main qualifying session, with Russell in the front row, but in a slightly more positive way.

“I know I still have it,” he said. “It’s just that the car won’t go any faster, I definitely know that I have it. That’s not a question for me. I’m looking forward to the end (of the season).”

The most successful driver in the sport’s history, with a record 105 victories, has triumphed twice this season but Russell, second on the grid in Qatar behind four-time champion Max Verstappen, has outscored him 18-5.

“I’m slow,” Hamilton said. “About half a second behind my teammate in the same car.

“It’s been all year,” he added, saying he didn’t know why that was.

“It is not possible to change it at the moment.”

The season ends in Abu Dhabi on December 8, with Hamilton under contract with Mercedes until the end of the year and has sponsorship commitments ahead of him before he can race at Maranello.