Lewis Hamilton struggles in Abu Dhabi Q1 as Charles Leclerc secures fifth for Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton endured another disappointing outing during the final qualifying session of the 2025 Formula 1 season at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion, driving for Ferrari, was eliminated in Q1 for the third consecutive race, ultimately qualifying in 16th place. This marks a continuation of a challenging end to a difficult season for Hamilton, who has struggled to adapt to Ferrari’s SF-25 car.
Throughout the session, a sense of resignation was apparent from Lewis Hamilton, particularly after race engineer Riccardo Adami confirmed over the radio that he would not progress. The seven-time F1 world champion repeatedly expressed his frustration, signaling his awareness that the result fell short of both his and Ferrari’s expectations.
Meanwhile, Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc delivered a markedly stronger performance, securing fifth on the grid. Charles Leclerc’s result highlighted that while Ferrari were not genuine contenders for pole, the gap between the two drivers underlined the difficulties Lewis Hamilton faced in extracting maximum performance from the SF-25. Ferrari has already secured fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship, reducing the stakes for the Abu Dhabi finale, and Hamilton’s personal battle to maintain sixth in the drivers’ standings against Kimi Antonelli is unlikely to provide significant motivation.
Lewis Hamilton apologises to Ferrari fans after qualifying
In a post-qualifying interview with Canal+, Lewis Hamilton expressed deep regret for his performance and issued an apology to Ferrari supporters. He conveyed that words could not fully capture how sorry he felt for both the team and the fans, taking full accountability for his struggles behind the wheel. Lewis Hamilton acknowledged that while Ferrari had done an outstanding job preparing the car, he had failed to deliver results that reflected the team’s efforts.
During a separate interview with F1TV, Lewis Hamilton reiterated his responsibility, emphasizing that the Ferrari squad had executed their tasks perfectly and deserved far better from him. His crash during FP3 on Saturday compounded the difficulties, forcing the team into rapid repairs before qualifying. Although the Briton was performing well through the first two sectors on his final Q1 lap, a mistake just a few corners from the finish ended his session prematurely.
Analysis of Hamilton’s 2025 Abu Dhabi struggles
Lewis Hamilton’s challenges this season have been significant, with only four points scored in the last four races, representing one of the most difficult periods of his Formula 1 career. Even though he managed a late-season recovery in his Mercedes farewell race last year, finishing fourth after a Q1 exit, the difficulties with Ferrari’s SF-25 ground-effect car have persisted through 24 races. Lewis Hamilton is now looking forward to the introduction of the next-generation cars, hoping the new regulations will better suit his driving style.
Former Formula 1 World Champion Nico Rosberg has commented on Lewis Hamilton’s Abu Dhabi performance, noting that while he had previously mocked the FP3 crash, he ultimately feels sympathy for his former teammate. According to Rosberg, the incident highlighted the Briton’s ongoing struggle to find comfort and consistency in the Ferrari cockpit.
As the Abu Dhabi season finale approaches, the contrast between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s performances once again reveals the challenges the British driver faced in 2025. While his Maranello teammate maximized the SF-25’s potential, Lewis Hamilton continues to fight for consistency and adaptation, with the 2025 campaign ending on a note of frustration but also anticipation for the future of Ferrari and Formula 1.
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