Lewis Hamilton faced a challenging day during Friday’s practice sessions at the Dutch Grand Prix, struggling with the pace of his Ferrari SF-25. Despite showing moments of improvement, the seven-time World Champion revealed that closing the gap of roughly eight-tenths of a second needed for qualifying would be difficult.
Practice Sessions Marked by Spins and Handling Issues for Hamilton
The Formula 1 season resumed after the summer break with ten races remaining, but Hamilton’s car continued to present problems. In Free Practice 1, Hamilton lost control of the SF-25, sharing afterward that the car’s ride quality was far from ideal and that it behaved unpredictably under pressure.
“I think I was just pushing too much. I think ultimately ride quality is also not where we want it; the car’s quite unpredictable.”
—Lewis Hamilton, World Champion
During Free Practice 2, Hamilton spun again following contact with the grass, describing the moment as a snap that led to the spin.
“I was pushing which is positive, I guess.”
—Lewis Hamilton, World Champion
He remains hopeful that this weekend will see fewer incidents and better stability from the car.
Ferrari’s Pace Deficit Highlights Struggle for Competitiveness
Although Hamilton mentioned the team had found some pace by midday, the significant time deficit remains a serious obstacle. This persistent struggle risks hampering his qualifying prospects and reducing Ferrari’s competitiveness as the title fight intensifies. Overcoming this performance gap will be crucial if Hamilton wants to challenge the frontrunners in the remaining races.
