Lewis Hamilton’s race in Qatar began with a clear attacking mindset, but lap after lap the momentum faded, turning his Grand Prix into a fight simply to reach the chequered flag. After the race, the British driver openly admitted the difficulties he faced and called for deep changes inside Maranello for the 2026 project.
The Qatar Grand Prix for Lewis Hamilton started on the offensive: he chose the soft tyre compound at the start, aiming to immediately climb through the field. His launch was effective, gaining several places within the opening moments and placing himself quickly near the midfield group. Like Charles Leclerc, he took full advantage of the Safety Car on lap eight, pitting to switch to the medium compound in an attempt to give the SF-25 more stability.
The strategy evolved naturally by lap 33, influenced also by the mandatory two-stop rule. During his second pit stop, Hamilton fitted the hard tyre compound, but the expected pace never truly materialised. The impression from the outside was of a race fought more in survival mode than with true attacking potential.
GP Qatar, Hamilton: “I hope our sacrifice is worth it”
Once again, Lewis Hamilton found himself dealing with a race far from simple. Throughout the 57 laps around the Lusail circuit, he repeatedly communicated with his race engineer, Riccardo Adami, complaining that the car was not responding to his inputs.
Speaking to Sky Sport after the race, Lewis Hamilton summarised the session by saying: “The pace wasn’t there.” Unlike Charles Leclerc and Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur, he referenced the team’s development choices for next season in a more indirect way, yet the feeling was that he had not fully approved the decision to prioritise 2026 at the expense of the current campaign.
The driver of car number 44 added: “I think the others have developed more during the season.” He then continued: “We’re really struggling to keep the other teams behind or to stay ahead of Williams.” He concluded with a message that revealed both concern and hope: “It shows how much progress they’ve made, and I hope that our sacrifice will be worth it.”
GP Qatar, Lewis Hamilton lays the foundations for 2026
A hopeful but visibly frustrated Lewis Hamilton, reflecting Ferrari’s recent strategic choices, once again stepped beyond the role of a driver and momentarily into that of a manager, so to speak. His “dossiers” sent to Maranello have already become famous within the paddock, even if not everyone on the inside appreciated the gesture.
The 2025 season will likely be remembered as a transitional year for the seven-time world champion, meant to help him fully integrate into the Ferrari environment. But perhaps this process is not happening as smoothly as expected, or at least not yet. It is clear that something is still missing for his integration at Ferrari to truly take off, and apparently the issue does not stem solely from the track.
When asked to clarify what remains unresolved, Lewis Hamilton replied: “I don’t want to talk about it publicly,” adding, “but there are things that definitely need to change.” One naturally wonders whether these remarks will be appreciated by Ferrari’s senior management, given their already delicate mood.
He continued: “There are many things to improve,” before concluding: “In the coming months we’ll need to look at the things that worked and change what didn’t.” These are uncomfortable words, perhaps, but necessary to once again underline the internal challenges facing the team. The hope is that they will be heard, not judged, as Ferrari prepares for a crucial phase of reconstruction.
Leave a Reply