Lewis Hamilton: Mercedes well off the pace at 'high-speed circuits'

The seven-time world champion endured a trying weekend in Jeddah, commencing with a lacklustre qualifying session that saw him secure the eighth spot on the grid. 

Despite a tactical gamble to maintain track position during a safety car period, Hamilton's aspirations were dashed as he ultimately crossed the finish line in ninth place.

The intricacies of the track layout at Jeddah accentuated the deficiencies in the car's performance during high-speed cornering, with both Hamilton and teammate George Russell notably outpaced by competitors from Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, and Aston Martin. This left Mercedes effectively relegated to the status of the fifth fastest team on the grid.

Acknowledging the challenges faced by the team, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff conceded to a "fundamental" issue with the car, particularly its struggle in high-speed cornering situations.

Hamilton, in reflection, hinted at a potentially protracted journey towards rectifying the shortcomings of the W15, suggesting that forthcoming races could prove to be equally arduous. 

"It's going to be challenging in these next races," he said. "I think all the high-speed circuits we are going to be at a disadvantage with the package we currently have.

"But we're good in the low-speed, and some of the medium-speed, we're not so bad. It's just really the high-speed, so we just have to add performance.

"It was like I was in a different category when I was going through the high speed with the other guys around me."