Finishing third in today's qualifying session, Lewis Hamilton admits that he is still not feeling 100% having previously tested positive for COVID.

The world champion tested positive while staying in Dubai following the Bahrain Grand Prix and going into isolation he was forced to miss the Sakhir Grand Prix.

Cleared on Thursday to take part in this weekend's event, the Briton finished third in today's qualifying session, albeit just 0.086s of Max Verstappen's pace.

"I don't want to necessarily want to go into too much detail of it all," he subsequently told reporters. "But like I said already back in Australia, just how serious the virus is, and I can really feel for those who have suffered from it and those who have lost ones from it. I can understand how because it's a nasty virus.

"I'm not 100 per cent," he added. "I still have some feeling within my lungs but nonetheless, normally I would drive if one of my arms was hanging off. That's what we do as racing drivers and luckily that's not the case.

"It definitely won't be the easiest of races physically," he admitted, "but I will manage and give it absolutely everything I have.

"One of the symptoms is that it really drains you," he explained. "So I've been trying to sleep as much as I can, but recharging is not as easy as it has been in the past.

"I lost a good amount of weight just in that week, so I'm not 100 per cent the same as I was the last time I raced, but it's by no means going to get in the way of me coming out and giving it my all tomorrow."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by digger, 13/12/2020 18:13

"your ego is too big to be a real sportsman, you should have let George drive, he has almost proved that it is the CAR NOT the DRIVER"

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2. Posted by Greg, 13/12/2020 6:46

"Lewis didnr want to be shown up again."

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3. Posted by jcr, 13/12/2020 1:10

"No way was George getting back in that car, He did enough damage to Hammis Reputation first time round.
Your day will come George !!!!! Rave On boy.
"

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4. Posted by Jingle, 12/12/2020 21:30

"It would have been beneficial to Mercedes evaluation of George Russell to give him another shot in the Mercedes car in the last race of the season.. Lewis has nothing to lose by not racing and would have gained positive PR by stating that he is not 100% and letting George take his place to have a second race. However, by insisting on returning to race at Abu Dhabi and then saying he is not fully recovered seems to me to smack a little bit of bad sportsmanship and not i;the best interests of the team."

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5. Posted by Wokingchap, 12/12/2020 19:35

"In that case Lewis you should have let George drive. I thought you were a true gentleman but now proving me wrong."

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Hamilton still not 100%

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