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The 40-year-old could only finish 10th in the first race of the 2025 F1 season on Sunday
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Martin Brundle has expressed a belief that Lewis Hamilton didn't have a 'particularly strong weekend' after the Ferrari star struggled at the Australian Grand Prix.
The 40-year-old could only finish 10th on Sunday, with Charles Leclerc two places higher when Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and former team-mate George Russell made the podium.
The world had been hoping to see Hamilton rediscover his mojo, having seen the veteran struggle for consistency in recent years.
Instead, however, his debut ended up failing to live up to expectations.
F1 news: Martin Brundle has expressed a belief that Lewis Hamilton didn't have a 'particularly strong weekend' after the Ferrari star struggled at the Australian Grand Prix
GETTY
Ferrari have since backed Hamilton, insisting his early problems with the side are merely teething problems that will be sorted out.
Yet Brundle, speaking on Sky Sports, feels it would be wrong to hail the Stevenage-born racer given his troubles on the grid.
“I don’t think Lewis had a particularly strong weekend," he said.
“I mean, they’re saying they’re incredibly happy but, you know, he was eighth on the grid, nine-tenths off pole behind his team-mate.
“[Oscar] Piastri overtook him on the last lap and various dramas, he didn’t have a particularly strong race pace.
“I don’t think Lewis can go away from this race anything other than a little bit disappointed and challenged to be honest and he’ll be hoping for much more in China next weekend.”
Hamilton, to his credit, has the quality to bounce back.
The Australian Grand Prix was tough for many other drivers, not just the 40-year-old, given the rainy and wet conditions in Melbourne.
READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton makes complaint after nightmare Ferrari debut at Australian Grand Prix
F1 news: Lewis Hamilton could only finish 10th at the Australian Grand Prix
REUTERS
Hamilton, reacting to his first race with Ferrari, admitted that he'd found it 'tricky'.
But he's still upbeat about the future as he looks to finally win a historic eighth F1 title.
"It was very tricky and went a lot worse than I thought it would go," he said.
"The car was really, really hard to drive today.
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"For me, I'm just grateful I kept it out of the wall because that's where it wanted to go most of the time.
"A lot to take from it and just getting acclimatised with the new power unit in the wet conditions.
"The settings it requires are different, and a different way of driving and a different set-up on the steering wheel.
"I hung out as long as I could, got in the lead at one point. Just the guidance with how much more rain was coming, was missing there, so I think we missed out."
F1 news: Lewis Hamilton will be aiming to bounce back from his Australian Grand Prix nightmare when the Chinese Grand Prix takes place next week
REUTERS
Hamilton will be hoping to bounce back when the Chinese Grand Prix takes place on Sunday.
The Briton has won six times in the Far East throughout his career, with his last victory coming back in 2019 before the coronavirus pandemic.