Lewis Hamilton faced yet another disappointment in qualifying for the 2025 F1 Qatar GP. He started from pit lane during the Sprint in an attempt to improve the set-up, but the improvement wasn’t there. On top of that, he again was knocked-out during the first stage of qualifying.
Post-Sprint set-up changes helped
Despite changing the set-up again after the F1 Sprint, Hamilton only managed 18th in Q1. He was satisfied with the changes however, and claimed the time would have been there if he had managed to string a lap together.
“We made changes [after the Sprint],” Hamilton said. “The car felt better in quali.
“I think the early session was looking pretty decent and then we just didn’t get the last lap.”
When asked whether he can change his fortune coming race day, the Ferrari driver had little hope.
“Not really, you saw in the Sprint there’s no overtaking, so I’ll try something different with strategy maybe and see what I can do tomorrow.”
Lack of development not the issue
Team boss Fred Vasseur explained on Friday that the team has stopped aerodynamic development since the end of April. Hamilton however refused to use that as an excuse for the lack of performance.
“There’s far other things that are of need and attention,” the seven-time F1 world champion said when pressed on the matter.
“The development’s not been the issue. I wanted them to move to next year’s car when we knew the car was not good, I wanted to make sure we started early, so I was in full support of that.
“It’s a long year with what we’ve had, there’s just other things that need to be worked on.”
Hamilton refuses to blame team
Lewis Hamilton was clear that stability is the main issue with the car at the moment. This was highlighted by Charles Leclerc’s high-speed spin in qualifying for the Qatar GP.
“Stability, we’re constantly challenged with stability,” he explained. “We’re obviously lacking downforce compared to the others, because we haven’t developed the car for some time, so the car’s a bit on the ragged edge and just a bit of luck.”
While it might be easy to blame the team, Hamilton refused to let them down.
“It’s my first year with them, so I haven’t noticed [a slump in psychology],” he said. “I think the results, for sure, for all the mechanics, all the engineers that turn up every weekend, for everyone back at the factory, I’m sure the results, it’s hard for them.
“They’re turning up and giving their best, but I don’t think that’s just era-related, it’s just what we’ve been faced with this year.”
He also criticised the media, who especially in Italy, can be ruthless when it comes to Ferrari’s performance.
“And also the negativity that’s constantly within the media and everything like that, that affects them. They get home to their wives and their wives say ‘they’ve been saying this about where you work,’ and I’m sure that’s tough for them, and then the kids and all those things. So there’s a huge effect on lots of people.”
