Lewis Hamilton pays tribute with Mercedes star 'really happy' after Spanish Grand Prix qualifying

But Hamilton impressed during qualifying on Saturday, with the Stevenage-born racer finishing third - behind only Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.

The 39-year-old has sometimes struggled to hide his feelings of annoyance, with Mercedes toiling ever since the 2021 campaign.

Yet Hamilton was happy with the team's display in Barcelona and paid tribute to Mercedes staff, insisting they deserve credit for their tireless work behind the scenes.

"I am really happy. I am super grateful to be in the top three," he told Sky Sports.

"It has been quite a difficult year, there has been hard work from everyone back in the factory, and we are starting to see those incremental steps.

"I didn't expect to be in for pole necessarily but every now and then there looked to be bits that had us close.

"So to be there I am just grateful.

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"We have made huge steps forward and it is really down to every single individual back at the factory who is working on design, pushing in making the new parts we get to bring to these races.

"Slowly the car is crafting into a racing machine with which we can hopefully fight the guys in front.

"George did a great job as well so hopefully tomorrow we can apply the pressure on the guys in front."

It was a good day for Mercedes, with George Russell finishing fourth.

And the 26-year-old believes the Silver Arrows can compete for glory on Sunday, saying: "I think we believed (we could challenge for pole), the car has been feeling great, and historically we have gone well here in Barcelona.

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"I think the gap to Lando and Max was probably a little bit bigger than we expected.

"I don't think Lewis and I put the perfect lap together, we did good laps, but on a challenging track like this, you have to put the tyres in the right window and just find those last couple of tenths and that is what Lando managed to do today and we didn't.

"P3 and P4 is a really great place to fight tomorrow.

"I think on a circuit like this, the pace of the car will always win out.

"I think strategically, the tyre degradation, you can do some things with the strategy, but if you have got one tenth of pace in the car, that will always win out over strategy.

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"For sure we will try something but we hope we have got the pace to fight with Max and Lando.

"I think we do have the pace to fight with Max and Lando for victory.

"I think we have had three races in a row with these upgrades. It is nice to be back in the mix."

And Mercedes chief Toto Wolff added: "It is not great. The third and fourths could have been fifths and sixths because we were so close with the Ferraris.

"Three tenths to the leaders, it didn't look that way yesterday, but maybe we have been too optimistic with yesterday's performance.

"For sure we will try something but we hope we have got the pace to fight with Max and Lando.

"I think we do have the pace to fight with Max and Lando for victory.

"I think we have had three races in a row with these upgrades. It is nice to be back in the mix."

And Mercedes chief Toto Wolff added: "It is not great. The third and fourths could have been fifths and sixths because we were so close with the Ferraris.

"Three tenths to the leaders, it didn't look that way yesterday, but maybe we have been too optimistic with yesterday's performance.