Ferrari endured a disappointing Sprint Qualifying session at the F1 São Paulo GP, with both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc facing significant challenges around the Interlagos circuit.
Ferrari’s struggles were evident from the early stages of qualifying, as both drivers grappled with pace issues that left them well outside contention for pole position. Hamilton’s session ended prematurely in SQ2, whilst Leclerc managed to scrape through to the final shootout but could only manage eighth place on the grid for Saturday’s Sprint Race.
Hamilton’s early exit
Lewis Hamilton’s qualifying campaign came to a frustrating conclusion in SQ2, leaving the seven-time world champion starting from 11th position. The British driver’s final flying lap was compromised by a yellow flag triggered when Leclerc spun after missing the apex at Turn 10, dashing any hopes of progression to the top-10 shootout.
Speaking after the F1 São Paulo GP Sprint Qualifying, Hamilton admitted Ferrari had misjudged their competitiveness. “It definitely didn’t help, but it’s not for the lack of trying, the team thought we were a lot faster than we are and we gave it everything and that’s ultimately what matters most, we just run it quicker,” he said.
When asked about Ferrari’s recent momentum, Hamilton struggled to find positives in the result. “It’s hard to say that when you’re out in Q2, but I do feel like you know we’re working hard, so I mean it’s not really much more I can do, it is what it is,” he reflected.
With potential rain forecast for the Sprint Race, Hamilton struck a philosophical tone about his prospects from 11th on the grid. “I’m 11th now, so I just have to have some fun from there. I think at this point it’s literally just about having fun, it’s not going well for my side, my year and I just have to just enjoy it wherever I am and that’s what I can do,” the Mercedes-bound driver stated.
Leclerc’s frustration
Charles Leclerc fared marginally better, qualifying eighth for the Sprint Race, but the Monégasque driver made no attempt to hide his disappointment with Ferrari’s performance. The team’s struggles were compounded by lock-ups and a lack of overall pace throughout the qualifying sessions.
“I’m not happy. I mean, the car was very, very slow today. It didn’t feel that bad, but we are slow,” Leclerc said bluntly after the session. “So we’ve got something to work on and to try and improve for tomorrow.”
The Ferrari driver’s best effort in SQ3 was hampered by a mechanical issue that cost valuable time. “Unfortunately, my lap in SQ3, the first one was pretty good. I had a rejected downshift in the last straight. So we cost like a tenth and a half. Wouldn’t have been much better. I think maybe P7, but tough weekend so far,” he explained.
Despite the setback, Leclerc remained pragmatic about the team’s options for improvement. With regulations allowing changes between the Sprint Race and main qualifying, Leclerc indicated Ferrari would experiment with setup adjustments, though he expressed uncertainty about the potential gains.
“Nothing makes me think we are out of place in terms of setup. So I’ll try something. Whether it’s going to be better or worse, I’m not sure,” Leclerc admitted.
A difficult weekend for the team
Ferrari’s struggles at Interlagos mark a stark contrast to McLaren’s dominance, with Lando Norris claiming pole position ahead of the impressive Kimi Antonelli and Oscar Piastri. Ferrari will need to regroup quickly, with both the Sprint Race and main qualifying still to come.
For Hamilton, this challenging weekend adds another difficult chapter to what he has described as a trying year. Meanwhile, Leclerc and Ferrari face an uphill battle to recover points and salvage a respectable result from the F1 São Paulo GP weekend.
With rain potentially in the forecast and limited opportunities to make setup changes before the Sprint Race, both Ferrari drivers will be hoping that unpredictable conditions might offer them a chance to climb through the field and turn their fortunes around at the iconic Brazilian circuit.
