Hamilton: 'Further behind than last year - hard to close gap with our concept'

The seven-time world champion was the fastest Mercedes in eighth but was 0.636s off the pace of Fernando Alonso’s benchmark time during second practice at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

Hamilton, who was already resigned to a difficult start to the season, admitted Mercedes are a “long way off” early pacesetters Red Bull and Aston Martin.

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“We’re kind of where we were last year, if not further behind,” Hamilton said. 

“It’s difficult for everybody and it’s really not where anyone in the team wants to be and certainly not where anyone in the team deserves to be. They work so hard and are so courageous and thoughtful in their process. 

“We’re just on the wrong track. So we have to graft away and find a way to get ourselves on the right track. Right now, we’re a long way off the guys at the front.”

Hamilton also appeared critical of the design of Mercedes’ W14, which has retained the radical ‘zero sidepod’ concept first adopted on the team’s troubled predecessor.  

“I have to be hopeful,” Hamilton said. “There was good progress last year but the gap wasn’t as big as it is now. 

“Do I believe we can close the gap at some stage? Yes. But I think it’s quite hard with the concept we have.” 

Asked if the long or short tun was more comfortable, Hamilton replied: “Neither. They are very, very similar. 

“We are offset in low and high. Red Bull’s long runs were half a second per lap faster. So we have a lot to work on.” 

Hamilton added: “I got the car to the best place I can get it, set-up-wise. 

“We will continue to tweak little bits here and there but they will be small bits, here and there - milliseconds, nothing to close the gap of a second. 

"We will keep our heads down tonight, we will go through the data, work and try to progress tomorrow. 

“We have got to find out if there is any way we can add performance overnight.” 

Teammate George Russell, who finished down in 13th, said: “There are a few teams looking strong - Aston Martin are the biggest surprise, they have clearly done a good job over the winter,” he explained. 

“We need to look over the data last week to this week to see what we learned. We made big changes and we need to see if they worked.

“The window that the car was set up in. The car feels better but that doesn’t mean it is faster. We also have a new rear wing - we need to see if it’s operating as we expect.

“Clearly, we want to be higher up the timesheet than we are. That is no secret.

“We need more downforce, more lap time. It’s a new car and we need to reach its full potential.”