Each Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton had little purpose for optimism after a grueling qualifying session for the Qatar Grand Prix, with Leclerc slowest in Q3 and Hamilton eradicated in Q1.
Hamilton had already been eradicated in Friday’s SQ1 and set the 18th quickest time in Saturday’s session, whereas Leclerc himself struggled to interrupt into the highest ten. Leclerc suffered a high-speed spin on the penultimate nook and his closing lap was ok for tenth on the grid. He says this end result was all concerning the automobile’s capabilities.
“It is actually troublesome to drive and it is simply irritating,” Leclerc stated. “The second lap in Q3 was actually good, however that was all I had for tenth and it was once more very irritating.
“I took a silly quantity of dangers, like attempting to get eighth or ninth at each nook in Q3, however I overdid it slightly bit. Then I put it again in for the second run in Q3, which was nice. It was a extremely good lap, however there was nothing extra within the automobile.”
Leclerc endured a troublesome dash on Saturday and missed out on factors, so he would not count on the automobile to be any extra aggressive within the race itself.
“I am usually a really optimistic particular person, however I’ve a tough time being optimistic about tomorrow,” he stated. “There wasn’t one lap this weekend that gave me hope that issues is perhaps moving into the fitting course.
“Tomorrow goes to be a superb day to attempt to hold the automobile on the monitor and attempt to get some factors. I imply, I do not wish to go into the race occupied with getting some factors and protecting the automobile on the monitor, so I am going to attempt to get within the high 10, however realistically, do I actually consider in that? Actually, I do not assume so.”
Hamilton was eradicated in Q1 at Las Vegas, making it his third straight loss within the first half of qualifying. Though the automobile was in a extra pleasant location for him, he says he nonetheless lacked tempo.
“Total I really feel higher. I’ve made modifications,” Hamilton stated. “The automobile was feeling higher, nevertheless it simply wasn’t quick…I believe I appeared fairly good within the early classes, however then I stalled on the final lap.
“[The car]lacks stability, entrance and rear stability. There’s undoubtedly a scarcity of downforce in comparison with the others. With jagged edges…”
“Now that we all know we will not overtake in a dash, perhaps we will strive one thing completely different strategy-wise. We’ll see.”
Though Hamilton helps Ferrari’s resolution to halt aerodynamic growth on this 12 months’s automobile, he believes the workforce is struggling general from the general public consideration it receives.
“It is my first 12 months with the workforce, so I am not conscious of the psychological affect (of specializing in 2026),” he stated. “The result’s actually for all of the mechanics, all of the engineers that come collectively each weekend, everybody that comes again to the manufacturing unit… I believe it is a robust end result for them. They arrive collectively and do their greatest, however I do not assume it is nearly aerodynamics. That is precisely what we’re going through this 12 months.”
“Additionally, the negativity that is always within the media and issues like that impacts them. They go dwelling to their wives and their wives say, ‘These are the issues they are saying concerning the individuals you’re employed for.’ I believe that is robust on them and their youngsters…It is actually affecting lots of people.”
