Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc encountered unexpected difficulties during the opening day of practice at the Zandvoort circuit, marking a tough start to the Grand Prix weekend. Despite Ferrari’s reputation as one of the leading teams this season, both drivers found themselves struggling to find competitive pace on Friday, which put their usual strong performance into question.
Ferrari entered this race weekend with high expectations after strong showings earlier in the season. Charles Leclerc, in particular, has been the standout, securing multiple podium finishes and recently challenging McLaren’s drivers for victory at the Hungaroring. In Hungary, Leclerc had even started on pole and was in contention for the win before an unexplained issue forced him out of the fight.
Ferrari’s Difficulties Contrast with Previous Success at Similar Circuits
The Zandvoort layout, known for its high-downforce demands, appeared to suit Ferrari’s car characteristics well, mirroring their competitive form in Hungary earlier this year. The team was also on the podium at Zandvoort last season, further heightening expectations. However, Friday’s practice sessions painted a different picture, with both drivers falling short of target lap times and facing apparent setbacks in performance.
After the sessions, Leclerc was candid about the challenges the team faced. Describing the day, he said,
“I will sum it up as a very, very, very, very difficult Friday, probably the worst Friday of the season, which is right after the holiday so it’s a little bit of a wake-up call. But yeah, it’s OK. We’ve had some difficult Fridays, now it’s up to us to turn the situation around. But for sure, it’s not been an easy day.”
He also added,
“FP1 was extremely difficult, FP2 was slightly better, but still very still very far off where we want to be.”
Lewis Hamilton Shares Concerns but Notes Some Progress
Lewis Hamilton’s session times were marginally better than Leclerc’s in the second practice, finishing roughly a tenth of a second ahead. Despite this small improvement, Hamilton acknowledged that there remained significant work for both him and the Ferrari team to do before qualifying and the race.
Expressing a cautiously positive outlook after the day, Hamilton said,
“It’s not been the worst of days. I think we were making progress. We were obviously quite far off in P1, a lot further than normal. The first lap felt pretty decent, getting back, but then been a bit of a challenge from then. But we made some progress over lunch, so I think we progressed, but still quite a chunk off, so we have got some work to do overnight.”
This sense of progression, although limited, came as some relief given the circumstances. Ferrari arrives at Zandvoort with fresh motivation following a weekend in Hungary where both Leclerc and Hamilton were denied possible victories due to unforeseen circumstances and on-track incidents. Both drivers and the team are eager to improve their competitiveness for the remainder of the event.
What This Means for Ferrari’s Weekend Ahead
The performance issues experienced during Friday’s practice sessions represent a notable setback for Ferrari, which had hoped to capitalize on the characteristics of the Zandvoort track. As they prepare for qualifying and the race, the team will need to analyze data thoroughly and implement changes to the car setup and strategy. The pressure is on for the team to convert their potential into results, especially after a solid start to the season and the recent disappointment at Hungary.
For Hamilton and Leclerc, the challenge will be to rebound quickly and adapt to the demanding circuit conditions, which could significantly affect tire performance and handling. The outcome of Saturday’s qualifying session will reveal whether their overnight improvements were sufficient to re-establish Ferrari as a front-running competitor at Zandvoort.
