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The FIA has officially published the list of deleted lap times from the sprint qualifying session at the 2025 Miami Grand Prix. Among the drivers penalized for track limits violations was seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who had one of his laps scratched from the record.
Hamilton, who now drives for Ferrari, was found to have exceeded track limits at Turn 17, resulting in the deletion of a lap time. Fortunately for the British driver, the deleted lap wasn’t among his quickest, so it had no impact on his final grid position. He maintained his starting spot of P7 for Saturday’s sprint race.
Hamilton was not alone in falling foul of the Miami circuit’s strict track limits enforcement. Young French driver Isack Hadjar also had a lap deleted for running wide at Turn 17. His lap, timed at 1:29.901, was wiped early in the qualifying session, limiting his chances of advancing. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz became the third and final driver to see a lap time annulled, this time for exceeding limits at Turn 15. For Sainz, who endured a difficult session overall, the violation compounded a frustrating outing. The Spaniard, driving for Williams, failed to make it into SQ3, continuing a rough patch of form for the team.
Ferrari Disappointed with Sprint Qualifying Pace
While Hamilton managed to secure a spot within the top 10, his sprint qualifying performance wasn’t particularly strong. Ferrari appeared to struggle with overall pace throughout the session, with both Hamilton and his teammate Charles Leclerc falling short of expectations.
Leclerc will line up just ahead of Hamilton in P6 for the sprint, but neither driver seemed optimistic about their prospects in the short-format race. Both Ferrari drivers gave honest assessments of their performance and the car’s capabilities during post-session interviews, expressing concern over their lack of competitiveness around the Miami International Autodrome.
Hamilton acknowledged the team had made small improvements, saying, “It was a better session than before. P1 was a bit better — the car felt slightly more balanced and nicer to drive. But at the end of the day, we’re just lacking speed. We’ll keep our heads down and keep working from here.”
Leclerc echoed similar frustrations. The Monegasque driver, who had hoped for better results in Miami, admitted the team simply didn’t have the pace to challenge the front runners. “The lap felt good,” Leclerc said. “I did everything I could, but the pace just isn’t there right now. It’s frustrating, but that’s the situation we’re in. I’ll give everything at the start tomorrow and try to make something happen, but realistically, we’re quite limited in terms of performance.”
Ferrari’s Inconsistency Still an Issue
This sprint qualifying performance highlights Ferrari’s ongoing issues with consistency and performance. Despite bringing updates to the car, the team has yet to unlock the full potential of their package. While Ferrari had shown flashes of competitiveness earlier in the season, Miami proved to be a step backward in terms of outright pace.
The Ferrari garage looked subdued following the session, and neither Hamilton nor Leclerc seemed confident about any significant turnaround during the sprint race. Both drivers have been vocal this season about the need for improvements, and it’s clear that the Italian outfit still faces major challenges if they hope to contend regularly with the likes of Red Bull and McLaren.
Track Limits Continue to Play a Key Role
Once again, track limits played a major role in sprint qualifying, with the FIA continuing its strict stance on policing circuit boundaries. Miami’s Turn 17, in particular, proved problematic, catching out multiple drivers. The high-speed nature of the corner combined with the slight lack of grip has made it a common point of violation.
The FIA’s policy on deleting lap times for exceeding limits has often sparked debate among fans and teams alike. While it enforces discipline and fairness, the strict application also brings frustration when minor excursions result in significant penalties. Still, consistency remains the governing body’s focus, and they have made it clear that there will be no leniency regardless of a driver’s stature.
Looking Ahead to the Sprint Race
With Hamilton starting P7 and Leclerc in P6, Ferrari has a mountain to climb in Saturday’s sprint race. Given their current form, both drivers will need strong starts and possibly a bit of luck to move forward. The team will likely shift focus toward maximizing damage control and gathering data to prepare for the main race on Sunday.
For Hamilton, who continues to adjust to life in red after his switch from Mercedes, Miami represents another reminder that Ferrari’s path to championship contention remains bumpy. The team now faces pressure to quickly identify the root of their pace issues and deliver a stronger showing in the races to come
