Hamilton's Surprising Ferrari Claim After Qatar Qualifying Struggles
Lewis Hamilton made a surprising claim that his Ferrari felt "better" during Qatar Grand Prix qualifying, despite being eliminated in Q1 for the third consecutive time. This follows radical downforce changes to the SF-25. Hamilton described the car as being on the "ragged edge" due to a lack of stability and downforce, highlighting Ferrari's ongoing struggles to find a competitive setup and hinting at a difficult race ahead from 18th position.
Lewis Hamilton expressed a surprising sentiment about his Ferrari, claiming it "felt better" during Qatar Grand Prix qualifying despite suffering another Q1 exit. This marks his third consecutive Q1 elimination, a streak not seen since 2009, following radical changes to the SF-25 aimed at increasing downforce. Hamilton, describing his car as being on the "ragged edge," noted that the car's feel improved compared to earlier in the weekend, though it wasn't enough to advance.
Why it matters:
Hamilton's repeated early exits in qualifying highlight Ferrari's persistent struggles with car performance and setup, particularly as the team navigates radical adjustments to improve downforce. His comments about the car feeling better, despite the poor result, offer a glimpse into the team's ongoing search for a competitive edge and the fine margins at play in Formula 1.
The details:
- Hamilton was eliminated in Q1 for the Qatar Grand Prix, securing 18th place. This follows a similar Q1 exit in the Sprint qualifying session at Lusail.
- This marks his third consecutive Q1 exit across Las Vegas, Qatar Sprint, and the Qatar GP qualifying sessions, a streak he hasn't experienced since 2009 (Monaco, Turkey, British GPs).
- Ferrari implemented significant changes to the SF-25, focusing on adding more downforce, in an attempt to improve performance.
- Despite the poor result, Hamilton stated that the car "felt better" after the changes. "Early in the session, it was looking pretty decent, but I just didn't get the last lap," he told media.
- He attributed the car's struggles to a lack of stability and downforce, stating, "the car is on the ragged edge and [we need] a bit of luck."
- Hamilton acknowledged the difficulty of overtaking on the Lusail track, suggesting a different strategy for the race.
What's next:
Hamilton will be looking to make up ground from 18th position in the Qatar Grand Prix, though the circuit's characteristics make overtakes challenging. Ferrari will undoubtedly continue to analyze the effectiveness of their radical setup changes and work towards addressing the stability and downforce issues that continue to plague their performance.