Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton reacts following the qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir. Picture date: Friday March 1, 2024. (Press Association via AP Images)

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton admitted he struggled inside the car during the qualifying session for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Hamilton qualified 9th for tomorrow’s race, while his teammate George Russell placed the 3rd fastest time to start from the second row of the grid, behind polesitter Max Verstappen.

Speaking after the session, the 7-time World Champion said he “struggled throughout qualifying as we have in the past couple of years.”

The Britton assured the media “the car is feeling really great,” but that he went “a little bit in a direction to help my race pace.”

“George’s position and the pace he showed today really highlights, and is a real testament, to the team. It shows just how hard everyone has worked over the winter.

“It’s amazing for us to have a car that we can fight with. It reignites the fire and the flame within us drivers. For me today, Bono and everyone else did a great job.”

Hamilton admitted he “wasn’t feeling as comfortable” with his race pace during the practice sessions on Thursday, so he worked on Friday on improving it. However, he said he “definitely sacrificed more single-lap performance that I hoped, but I hope that pays off tomorrow.

“It’s a lot of work to do to get past a lot of quick cars that are starting ahead of me, but I’m sure it’ll be fun.”