Lewis Hamilton Urges Ferrari Upgrades After Dis… Read more
Lewis Hamilton has called on Ferrari to urgently bring car upgrades after a dismal qualifying performance in Miami. The British driver could only manage 12th place in the session, while his teammate Charles Leclerc fared only slightly better, qualifying eighth. The underwhelming results come after a chaotic day for the team that began with Leclerc crashing before the sprint race had even started.
Despite claiming a podium finish in the sprint, Hamilton remained critical of the team’s overall performance. The seven-time world champion was visibly frustrated during his post-qualifying interviews, admitting that Ferrari are falling behind their rivals in terms of raw pace. He described the car as difficult to drive and expressed concern over the lack of competitiveness.
“The sprint race was better than qualifying, but we are where we are,” Hamilton stated. “We need some upgrades. We need some improvements. Really, we’ve got lots of things that need to be better.”
Hamilton revealed he was fighting the car throughout qualifying, including a lock-up during Q1 that almost saw him eliminated early. Although he narrowly advanced to Q2, he failed to make it into the top 10 and exited the session in 12th place—his worst qualifying result of the season so far.
The Mercedes-turned-Ferrari driver reflected on what might have been, saying he possibly could have reached Q3 if he had used a new tyre set. However, he added that even making it to the final session wouldn’t have changed much, as he likely would have qualified near Leclerc’s position.
“I’m trying everything,” Hamilton said. “We’re trying everything. A tiny bit of time and I was out. If we had gone out on the new tyre, I probably would have been in Q3 and maybe I’d be eighth or ninth with Charles, so it doesn’t make a huge difference. But the fact is, we are trying and we don’t have the pace.”
Hamilton also praised the performance of rival teams, particularly Williams, who surprised many by outqualifying Ferrari. Alex Albon secured an impressive seventh on the grid, ahead of Carlos Sainz in sixth.
“Williams are doing a great job. James [Vowles] and his team are doing an amazing job. But pure pace, that’s where we are,” he admitted.
The sentiment underscores a growing urgency within Ferrari to address their lack of competitiveness. With midfield teams gaining ground and consistent top-10 finishes slipping out of reach, Hamilton’s call for upgrades highlights a need for swift action if Ferrari hopes to contend seriously this season.
