Bahrain GP: Lewis Hamilton gives reaction after sealing surprise third-place finish

Lewis Hamilton was delighted with his third-place finish at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon, but underlined that there was still a lot of work for his Mercedes team to do for them to be winning races again.

Mercedes came into the Grand Prix on Sunday with Hamilton starting fifth and George Russell in ninth, after a Saturday qualifying session that firmly suggested they were only the third quickest team.

Certainly, they’re in rather unknown waters in that regard given their recent successes but, right now, Ferrari and Red Bull look quicker.

That said, Red Bull suffered a double retirement to pave the way for Mercedes to come 3rd and 4th on Sunday, with Hamilton achieving a podium place that he perhaps would not have expected when he woke up in Bahrain earlier this morning.

Speaking post-race, he said:

“I know the guys are working really hard back at the factory and it is not going to be a quick turnaround.

“But I know, we all know as a team that we have been the best-unified team for so long, I know that we all will keep our heads down, keep working, there is a long, long way to go.”

Hamilton then said of Ferrari, who earned a one-two with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz:

“[I’m] so happy to see them doing well again.

“They are such a historic, epic team so it is good to see Carlos and Charles up there as well so congratulations to them.”

Hamilton then concluded:

“I think it was such a difficult race. We struggled throughout practice. This is really the best result we could have got. It was unfortunate for the other two drivers and we are grateful for these points.”

Certainly, Mercedes still have work to do but you can imagine they will sort it out eventually and if they can pick results up like this along the