Lewis Hamilton strongly criticized his Ferrari’s performance during the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, describing it as the “worst it’s ever been.” The seven-time world champion faced a tough race, finishing sixth after struggling with pace and handling issues throughout the event.
Hamilton’s Difficult Race Day Marked by Technical Issues
Hamilton started the race strongly, achieving his best qualifying result for Ferrari and running as high as fourth position after the start. However, his pace quickly deteriorated, forcing him to yield to teammate Charles Leclerc after only nine laps. Despite a promising beginning, Hamilton’s challenges intensified following a late Safety Car period.
During the restart, Hamilton’s speed diminished significantly, allowing Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg to overtake him. Though Hamilton originally crossed the line in seventh place, a penalty applied to Max Verstappen post-race promoted him to sixth position in the final standings.
Radio communications revealed more about Hamilton’s frustration with the car. Under the Safety Car, he informed his race engineer Riccardo Adami that the front of the car
“feels so light all of a sudden”
and suspected a problem related to the recent front wing change. After the race resumed, he continued expressing confusion about the car’s condition, stating,
“I don’t know what’s wrong with this car, mate.”
Following the race, Hamilton’s dissatisfaction was clear as he lamented,
“There’s something wrong with this car, mate. It’s the worst it’s ever been,”
while shaking his head during the cool-down lap.
Ferrari Keeps Details of Car Problem Under Wraps
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur acknowledged that Hamilton experienced a technical issue before the Safety Car deployment but chose not to disclose specific details. Addressing the situation to media outlets including Crash.net, Vasseur suggested that the driver’s initial remarks could lead to misinterpretation but insisted the problem was real.
You are experienced enough to draw a conclusion after the first words of the driver,
Vasseur explained.
He downplayed any notion of a disastrous race by pointing out that Hamilton had maintained position ahead of George Russell for about 70 percent of the race, noting,
“I’m not sure that Russell said that the race was a disaster.”
But then we had an issue on the car the last stint, before the Safety Car. The result is not good, but he did 45 laps in front of Russell.
Hamilton’s Disappointment Reflects Poor Weekend for Ferrari
After the race, Hamilton was visibly frustrated and described the event as “the worst race I’ve experienced.” When asked if there was anything positive to take away from the weekend, his response was blunt and clear: “Zero.”
The outcome leaves Hamilton in sixth place in the drivers’ championship with 71 points, trailing teammate Charles Leclerc by 23 points. Leclerc secured his third podium of the 2024 season by fighting hard to finish third in Barcelona, highlighting the contrast in performance within the Ferrari team.
Implications for Ferrari and the Championship Battle
Hamilton’s vocal dissatisfaction and Ferrari’s withholding of technical explanations signal deeper challenges for the team as they compete in the 2024 Formula 1 season. With rivals such as Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc gaining momentum, resolving the issues that led to Hamilton’s struggle will be vital for maintaining competitiveness in upcoming races. The Spanish Grand Prix serves as a clear indicator that Ferrari must urgently address their car’s reliability and performance concerns to support both drivers in the title fight ahead.
