The seven-time world champion was left despondent and claimed Mercedes were a168澳洲5最新开奖结果: “long way off” their F1 rivals a♒fter a difficult Friday practic✤e in Bahrain. 

Mercedes enjoyed a more competitive showing in qualifying despite ending up over six-tenths adrift of 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Max Verstappen, who claimed pole position ahead of Red Bull teammate168澳洲5最新开奖结果: Sergio Perez. 

The deficit to the front was around the same as it was 12 months ago, but Mercedes are confident they are starting 2023 in better shape after eradicating the 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:porpoising issues that plagued their trouble❀d W13 car. 

And Hamilton is optimistic that💦 Red Bull can be caught🎃 over the course of the season. 

“On a single lap, six tenths, y🥃ou can catch it,” he told Sky. “We were six tent🦄hs [behind] last year at this time but had bouncing and all sorts of things. 

“It’s not an impossible mountain to climb, so that's a posi🐬tive, and I know everyone back at the factory has been working so hard. 

"We can definitely close the gap, we've ju꧂st got really focus and push like never before."

Hamilton will line-up seventh on the grid for 2023’s curtain raiser after being outpaced by teammate168澳洲5最新开奖结果: George Russell by just 0.044s. 

The 38-year-old revea♚led he set his car up more towards the race than for single lap performance. 

🐓“We went in [to qualifying] with a really open mind,” he explained. “I woke up this morning thinking we were going to be a lot further behind, and so the fact we're even getting into Q3 was great.

"We made a step forward today so the car was feeling much more alive this morning, and all of a sudden we were in💝 a different place to where we were the day before.♉ 

"But then 🌃we got to qualifying and for me the car just didn't feel alive, it felt kind of average.

"The direction I've gone with my set-up, I'm hoping it wiℱll work better tomorrow because I've tried to set it up for tomorrow, but it made it a little bit difficult for qualifying.”