Hamilton thwarted by persistent Mercedes issue: 'Really big trouble'

Lewis Hamilton has conceded bouncing was causing "really big trouble" for Mercedes throughout qualifying for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

The Silver Arrows locked out the fourth row on the grid at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit with Hamilton behind teammate George Russell, finishing behind both Red Bulls, Charles Leclerc's Ferrari, Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso and both McLarens.

Speaking to media including RacingNews365, Hamilton said: "It wasn't a good qualifying at all.

"I was really struggling with the car [on Thursday] and then in FP3, I was much happier with the car with a bigger wing, but I was losing two-tenths on the straight, though gained some stability back and was much happier.

"I thought we would carry that into qualifying but unfortunately, the bouncing is still there and it's very difficult to push through the first sector.

"That's why we are so slow in that first sector."

'Car is so much better'

Mechanical bouncing and aerodynamic 'porpoising' has been the thorn in Mercedes' side since the dawn of F1's current technical regulations.

"If you took that away, the car is really so much better than last year in every area," insisted Hamilton.

"It's just it is really causing us some really big trouble.

"In the second and third sectors, we are able to be closer through some of it and all the rest of the corners, but in the first section, it is the same as last year."