Lewis Hamilton faced challenges during Friday’s practice sessions, aiming to reach the top 10 in qualifying for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Ending up 13th in the second session, he was over a second behind Lando Norris and six-tenths behind his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc. Since joining Ferrari from Mercedes, Hamilton has struggled to match Leclerc’s pace.
Hamilton’s qualifying performance this season has been inconsistent. His best grid start was fifth in China, where he also secured pole position and victory in the sprint race. However, he finished eighth in both Australia and Japan, and ninth last weekend in Bahrain. Reflecting on Friday’s practice, Hamilton commented, “Not the greatest. I think getting the tyres working today was the issue from my side.”
The British driver noted tyre performance as a significant issue during practice. He explained that, despite promising moments, switching to soft tyres didn’t deliver the expected performance. “It’s nothing to do with the team,” he stated. “We were just struggling to get the tyres working.” Yet, Hamilton remains hopeful for improvement following overnight adjustments by Ferrari.
Acknowledging his struggles with qualifying this season, Hamilton expressed a desire to improve his position on Saturday. When asked about his expectations for qualifying, he cautiously stated, “I don’t know. For me, I’m just trying to see if I can get into the top 10.” This cautious optimism underscores his determination to perform better despite recent difficulties.
Despite his current challenges, Hamilton remains focused on improving his performance in upcoming races. His fastest lap time at Jeddah was set back in 2021, highlighting his potential on this track. However, replicating such success has proven difficult since joining Ferrari.
Hamilton’s journey this season highlights the complexities of adapting to new teams and cars in Formula 1. While he continues to face hurdles, his determination to compete at a high level remains evident as he aims for better results in future races. His cautious approach reflects both realism and hope as he navigates a challenging season with Ferrari, focusing on incremental improvements and achieving competitive results despite recent setbacks on the track.
