Lewis Hamilton Back in Form with Strong P5 Finish in Bahrain
Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton bounced back from a tough qualifying session to claim an impressive fifth-place finish at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
After a challenging weekend that saw the seven-time world champion recover from a disappointing P9 in qualifying to finish P5 in Sunday’s race, Hamilton left the Bahrain circuit with a renewed sense of purpose. It appears he’s finally starting to click with Ferrari’s SF-25 after a turbulent start to their partnership.
Qualifying went much as expected – the former Mercedes driver struggled and ended up 0.931 seconds behind pole-sitter Oscar Piastri. However, starting on the medium compound tyres gave Hamilton an edge early in the race, allowing him to make up ground quickly, while teammate Charles Leclerc lost two positions off the line.
Hamilton ultimately crossed the line in fifth place and was voted Driver of the Day, turning Saturday’s disappointment into fresh motivation.
Speaking to the media post-race, Hamilton opened up about his ongoing adjustment to the new car.
“I think it’s clear – as people, we’re pretty set in our ways,” he said. “I’ve been driving a certain way, in the same team, for years.”
“Now I’ve moved into a completely different car that demands a different driving style and setup. I’m using engine braking, which I’ve never used before. The brakes are different – I’ve got Brembo now, and for the past 15 years, I’ve been on CIs.”
While the recent floor upgrades didn’t significantly impact his qualifying performance, his race pace hinted at real progress from the Maranello squad.
Compared to his teammate’s approach, Hamilton admitted he’s still finding his rhythm with the tools Ferrari provides.
“What’s clear is that Charles starts the weekend with one setup and sticks with it the whole time,” Hamilton said. “Last weekend I was miles off, and this weekend I closed the gap just before qualifying – but then all my settings were thrown off. I need to simplify things. Right now, I’m doing it all the hard way.”
Despite the ongoing adjustment phase, Hamilton’s optimism is growing.
“I’ve figured out how the car likes to be driven, and I hope I can carry that into next weekend. If I qualify better, I can have a much stronger weekend. I know I can – and I will.”
“If I qualify better, it’ll be a completely different story. We’ll see.”
