Suffering an early exit in Q2, Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton expresses concern that Ferrari ‘doesn’t have the pace’ this weekend.
Strategy gambles do pay off
During the sprint race, Hamilton and Ferrari devised a plan for the sprint, gambling to get the soft tyres, in hopes of the front row pitting as well for dry tyres as the track dries. The gamble paid off massively, as drivers did in fact pit and chose the dry tyres as the safe option.
Speaking after qualifying, Hamilton said that it all came down to strategy, as he believes that pace wise, they were out of the equation.
“It was a good, decent result, but it was not pure pace. It was a good call in the strategy, but in pure pace we didn’t have it in the race.
“And I got here, I was like one of the first here this morning to make sure we took the right steps through the day and didn’t make any mistakes.”
We don’t have the pace – Hamilton after F1 Miami qualifying
Asked about qualifying and his gap to teammate Charles Leclerc, the 7-time world champion expressed disappointment. Stating that it’s unpredictable on how the car will behave on track.
“Yeah, and that was on a used tyre as well. And then we went out and just couldn’t go any faster on that last set of tyres. This car is just different every time you go out.
“Yeah, definitely. I just think it’s nice. But pure pace, we just… I mean, we’ve been outqualified by the Williams, so we’re doing a great job. James and his team are doing an amazing job. But pure pace, I think that’s where we are.
“Charles was fortunate to get through with that. He did it in a new tyre, so he just got in through. I had an extra new tyre, we should have used that.
“Yeah, I mean, the sprint race was better qualifying. But, yeah, as I said, we are where we are. We need some upgrades, we need some improvements. We’ve got lots of things that need to be better.”
He rationalized his tyre choice, adding that using new sets wouldn’t have made a big difference.
“Yeah, I mean, I don’t feel in my heart that I’m… I mean, as I said, I’m trying everything, we’re trying everything. The smallest bit of time today meant I was out.
“If we’d gone out with a new tyre, I probably would have been in Q3. And then it would just be, you know, maybe I’ll be 8th or 9th, you know, with Charles. So it doesn’t make a huge difference.”
Fingers crossed on race day
Hamilton says that he hopes things turn better come lights out. Adding that he would like a mixed conditions race. With a race like that, there would be more strategy variation, and that Ferrari would hopefully nail the strategy like they did during the sprint.
“But the fact is, you know, we are trying and we don’t have the pace. Looks like conditions tomorrow may be tricky again.
“I don’t know. The car was not good in the wet this morning. It wasn’t good in the wet. So I don’t know if it will be tomorrow either. We’ll see. I’ll do a lot of praying tonight, of course.
“I mean, there’s opportunity for sure. If it started dry and then went wet or something like that, it could be kind of neat.
“But you’ve got to be lucky as well. The team are on it with strategy because, you know, that call. So I’m on it with strategy.”
