Lewis Hamilton Details Ferrari's 'Horror' Sprint Race Issues in Qatar
Lewis Hamilton described Ferrari's performance in the Qatar Sprint race as a 'horror' show, detailing severe handling issues like rear instability, bouncing, and unpredictable understeer. Starting from the pit lane after extensive setup changes, Hamilton finished 17th, with teammate Charles Leclerc also struggling. Both drivers expressed bewilderment at the car's drastic negative change, highlighting a worrying lack of understanding within the team.
Lewis Hamilton openly discussed the significant struggles he faced during the Qatar Sprint race on Saturday, describing the Ferrari as 'very, very difficult' to drive. Despite starting from the pit lane due to extensive setup changes, the seven-time champion finished a distant 17th, expressing disbelief over how the team 'made the car worse.' His teammate, Charles Leclerc, also reported similar difficulties, finishing 13th and equally mystified by the car's sudden lack of performance.
Why it matters:
Ferrari's dismal performance in the Qatar Sprint, particularly after making substantial setup changes, raises serious questions about the team's understanding of their car and its optimal configuration. For a team with championship aspirations, such fundamental issues during a race weekend highlight a concerning lack of consistency and adaptability, impacting both driver confidence and strategic decision-making.
The Details:
- Pit Lane Start: Hamilton began the Sprint from the pit lane following his SQ1 elimination, as Ferrari opted to implement several setup changes based on simulator findings from the previous night.
- Handling Nightmare: Hamilton described the car as 'really in the wrong direction and very, very difficult.' He detailed numerous issues:
- Lack of Stability: "The rear end is not planted, it's sliding, snapping a lot."
- Bouncing: "When you're going into corners like Turn 10, the thing starts bouncing."
- Understeer and Snapping: "We have a lot of mid-corner understeer, and then you apply the steering, then it snaps, and you try and catch it."
- Inconsistent Behavior: The car's handling varied significantly across low, medium, and high-speed corners, making it 'a fight like you couldn't believe.'
- Teammate's Struggles: Charles Leclerc, who finished 13th after losing positions on the opening lap due to running wide, echoed Hamilton's sentiments. He stated, "From qualifying to today, the feeling has changed completely and I don't really know where it's coming from."
- Mystified Drivers: Both Hamilton and Leclerc were left confused by the sudden and drastic change in the car's behavior, indicating a deeper, unresolved issue with the setup or underlying car characteristics.
What's next:
The immediate challenge for Ferrari is to analyze the data from the Sprint race and understand what caused such a significant degradation in performance. With a full race distance ahead, identifying and rectifying these fundamental handling issues will be critical for both drivers to have any chance of a competitive showing. This experience will be a crucial learning opportunity for the team as they prepare for future races and development cycles.