Martin Brundle pains over 'very hard watch' Lewis Hamilton

Martin Brundle has labelled Lewis Hamilton's media commitments a "very hard watch" at the moment, on account of his difficult start to life at Ferrari.

The 65-year-old observed how visibly "disappointed" the seven-time F1 drivers' champion is with his current level of performance.

Clearly despondent, Hamilton claimed he did not feel comfortable at any point during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, where he qualified a relatively lowly seventh en route to taking the chequered flag in the same position.

Earlier in the weekend, the 105-time grand prix winner claimed he needed a "brain transplant" to understand the Ferrari, which Charles Leclerc qualified fourth at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, before taking the Maranello squad's first podium finish of the season.

The Monegasque driver has routinely out-performed the 40-year-old over one lap this term, and despite Hamilton generally closing the gap in race trim, it is not enough to get the better of his team-mate.

After the grand prix, the Briton claimed he would likely have to endure the "painful" experience for the rest of the season, as he continues to struggle getting to grips with the SF-25.

Unsure on his new Brembo brakes, having used Carbon Industrie ones at Mercedes, he is also having to grow accustomed to using engine braking, a technique not required during his 12 seasons with the Brackley-based team.

Assessing Hamilton's weekend in Saudi Arabia, Brundle underscored his displeasure in seeing how downbeat and disheartened he is.

"Hamilton would finish half a minute behind his team-mate Leclerc in seventh, albeit showing strong pace from time to time," the former F1 driver wrote in his column for Sky Sports.

"The pace is in there somewhere but it's a very hard watch when Lewis is doing post-race interviews at the moment.

"He's not happy with his performances and is clearly more than a little perplexed and disappointed."