Lewis Hamilton confused: Ferrari driver sees progress that isn’t there | F1 Saudi Arabia GP. Lewis Hamilton finishes 7th in Jeddah qualifying and speaks of progress with Ferrari.

Lewis Hamilton finishes 7th in qualifying. At the wheel of his Ferrari, he was expected to make progress. In F1, confidence with the car is crucial, and lacking it means being slow. On the eve of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the Briton spoke about this very aspect, highlighting the importance of this step towards the next decisive one—a key scenario to match the performance of his teammate and support the cause of the Maranello team.

The relationship between Riccardo and Lewis is excellent
In the third free practice session in Jeddah, Lewis did seem more comfortable with his car. However, listening to the radio communications, it often appears that—unlike Leclerc—the seven-time world champion needs more instructions on all the SF-25’s controls. Rumors are circulating that Hamilton doesn’t get along well with Riccardo Adami and that the pair lacks chemistry.

But this is simply untrue, as the two are in close sync and always communicate effectively. If the Black King has many questions to ask, it doesn’t mean his engineer isn’t providing the necessary information. Lewis is highly precise and eager to learn. Was there less need for talk with Peter Bonnington, his former race engineer? Well yes… but the reason is quite simple after 12 years spent at Mercedes.

In nearly two and a half decades, all the secrets of the German cars had already been committed to memory. That’s why the pointless controversy or the urge to stir conflict where none exists is not only tiresome—it’s completely pointless. Back to the track: in FP3, Hamilton suffered from the same tire warm-up issues as his teammate. This SF-25 can’t switch on the tires like the McLaren, especially when temperatures are extreme.

Lewis sees progress—where, exactly?
The qualifying result—the fifth of the season—can’t possibly satisfy the Briton. We’re talking about a final seventh place that stings, especially if the driver whose seat you’ve “taken” ends up ahead of you on the grid. We’re referring to Carlos Sainz, who, at the wheel of the Williams, managed to stay ahead of the seven-time world champion by just 37 thousandths. Feeling with the car? It seems to still be the same, for now.

Before quoting Lewis, it’s worth reflecting. Based on both his facial expressions and his words, the former Mercedes driver appears a little confused—just as he does on track, often looking somewhat lost in this challenge that seems to be getting the better of him. It wasn’t going to be easy coming to Ferrari, but undoubtedly, the Englishman didn’t expect such a difficult challenge.

Lewis Hamilton candidly explained the complexity of a qualifying session that, once again, did not see him play a starring role. It’s been a tough weekend from the start on Friday, in which he never really managed to get into the rhythm. Session after session, progress was minimal, and the feeling with the SF-25 remained far from what he’s actually aiming for.

That’s why reaching Q3 was almost a relief—a result that, given the circumstances, wasn’t a given. His final attempt in qualifying wasn’t particularly strong, but Lewis acknowledged that there has been some progress, even if still insufficient to aim for more. There remains a bit of regret for the final lap, where he had hoped to do better, but at least he managed to stay in the top ten.