Since winter testing there was a sense that Ferrari, after challenging McLaren for the Constructors' title in 2024, would not deliver the same level of performance as they had in the previous campaign. The team, therefore, made the decision to focus on next year's car since April - one month after the current season had begun.

"Yeah, the development's not been the issue," Hamilton told GPblog dismissing the lack of development as the cause for Ferrari's woes. "I mean, I wanted them to move to next year's car when we knew the car was not good. I wanted to make sure we started early. So I was in full support of that.

"It means it's a long year with what we've had. There's just other things that need to be worked on," he added without clarifying what he meant.

When asked what Ferrari was currently battling, Hamilton pointed to the natural consequence of such an early development freeze.

"Stability, the challenge is stability," he continued. "We're obviously lacking downforce to the others [F1 Teams]. We haven't developed the car for some time, so the cars have been on the ragged edge, and I guess just a bit of luck."

Hamilton, after stating that personally "I've definitely felt better, but I'm OK," fired against the media for the psychological impact the seven-time world champion believes the approach their reporting has had on the team, possibly targetting the Italian press for the many unfounded rumours they've surfaced regarding Ferrari dynamics.

"I mean, it's my first year with them, so I haven't noticed it," he added. "I think the results for sure, you know, for all the mechanics, all the engineers that turn up every weekend, for everyone back at the factory, I'm sure the results... it's hard for them.

"And also the negativity that's constantly within the media and everything like that, that affects them, they get home to their wives and their wives say 'they've been saying this about the people where you work' and I'm sure that's tough for them and then the kids and all those things. So there's a huge effect on lots of people," Hamilton said.

Speaking about his chances to execute a comeback race in Qatar after his premature elimination, Hamilton suggested he did not expect much from the Grand Prix.

"We made changes, the car felt better," he said, before adding, "I think the early session was looking pretty decent and then just didn't get the last lap.

Stating - somewhat cryptically - that "there's other things that are in need of attention," Hamilton said he did not think executing a comeback drive into the points would be in the cards.

"Not really, you saw in the sprint there's no overtaking, so I'll try something different of a strategy, maybe and see what I can do tomorrow," he concluded.

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