Hamilton: "Ferrari simply quicker"

Lewis Hamilton has admitted that Ferrari is currently the quicker car compared to the Silver Arrows, as the Italians will start from the front row again tomorrow in Shanghai, with both Mercedes cars several tenths off the pace.

Hamilton, who had stamped his authority on the Friday by taking both FP1 and FP2, couldn't make it happen on Saturday when it mattered most. The Brit finished fourth, behind both Ferrari's and his teammate Valtteri Bottas, for the second weekend in a row, making it two-to-one for Bottas in the qualifying battle.

Hamilton was asked about his final minute of Q3 when he decided to head back into the pit lane and thus settling for P4, instead of going for it for another lap.

"No, why would I do that?" he responded to Dutch tv station Ziggo Sport.