FIGHTING FERRARI FIRMLY FREE FROM THE LEWIS HAMILTON QUALI CONFUSION LOSS
Analysis of Lewis Hamilton's costly Q1 error at the Las Vegas GP. Jenson Button & Bernie Collins explain the confusion between the timing line and red lights that led to him aborting his final lap.
Jenson Button and Bernie Collins have expressed their backing for Ferrari following the "confusion" that arose during Lewis Hamilton's last attempt in Q1 at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The seven-time F1 champion decided to halt what might have been his final lap, mistakenly thinking he hadn't reached the timing line in time to commence a new lap, as indicated by the red lights on his dashboard.
This decision resulted in him finishing in P20, last on the grid, after clocking the slowest time in the rain-drenched first qualifying session in Las Vegas.
For the first time in his F1 career, Hamilton will line up at the back due to his pace, having prematurely exited from a crucial final chance.
It quickly became clear that he had erred amid the chaos and poor conditions, but given that he had faced a yellow flag shortly before and had briefly contacted a bollard with his SF-25, he believed it wouldn't have significantly altered his performance.
Button, who was once Hamilton's teammate at McLaren, stressed the importance of continuing to push until advised to do otherwise, which the 105-time race winner failed to do.
"Continue until you're told to slow down," the 2009 F1 champion stated on Sky Sports F1.
"You should be aware of all the rules. It can be very challenging for a driver, especially when red lights appear in front of you, giving the impression that it's finished.
"However, the timing line is before that point, and he should know this since his dashboard displays the time for the previous lap.
"In such difficult conditions, with so many distractions, he may have been relieved that it seemed over, but he lost sight of what he needed to do for his next lap."
Was Hamilton to blame?
When it was mentioned that the Ferrari pit wall would have been aware of the tight situation, Button responded, "But they can't assume he understands that the timing line differs from the red light gantry," clarifying that the timing line and start/finish line are located at different spots.
Collins defended Riccardo Adami, Hamilton's race engineer, pointing out that he made efforts to ensure his driver did not lift off the throttle.
"I just wanted to add to that a bit. I was trying to catch it during the commentary, and I listened again when Lewis went out, as it was evident from the radio that there was some confusion regarding the light," Collins mentioned.
"On the lap prior, the one where he was approaching the line, the pit wall informed him that it would be closed for one more lap, urging him to keep pushing for another attempt.
This serves as a clear signal to a driver: first, that you’re not in a safe position if they urge you to push for another lap; secondly, that it's close to the limit, but they believe it's feasible, or they wouldn't suggest it.
"He received that message earlier in the lab. Then, as he approaches the line, Lewis inquires, "Am, am I secure?"
"His engineer responds, saying, 'No, keep up the pace.'" Lewis then says, 'I say, "I see the light, light; I see the red light."' The engineer reiterates, 'No, keep going.' reiterates, 'No,''
"However, by that moment, it’s already too late. He had initially been informed—though I didn’t review everything—prior to reaching the line that it would be tight and he needed to maintain his speed.
"When he saw the red light, he thought perhaps Ferrari miscalculated the timing, or he hadn’t completed the lap in time, or other factors played into it, as Jenson pointed out.
"He believed he hadn’t made it. He immediately eased off the throttle. At that point, it’s too late; once a driver slows down, there's no use in advising them to accelerate again, because the chance to complete the lap has already slipped away. All these elements contributed to what happened. Still, I'd argue that the Ferrari pit crew had provided the necessary information.
In response to accusations of favouritism toward Hamilton, with former Aston Martin race strategist Collin supporting the team, the 15-time Grand Prix champion replied, "No."
He continued: "It's a complex situation. He’s not the first to have made such a mistake.
"But indeed, the timing line differs from the finish line. That’s something you should be aware of since the time displays on your dashboard. We are all made aware of our lap times as we cross that line. "
GEORGE RUSSELL ADMITS ANTONELLI IS "EXCEPTIONALLY QUICK" BUT REFUSES TO CONCEDE TITLE
Kimi Antonelli secured his 3rd straight F1 win in Miami, leaving George Russell 43 seconds behind and 20 points down in the title race. (130 chars)
George Russell isn’t flinching. He’s not ready to let go of the story, even as Kimi Antonelli keeps grabbing headlines. Antonelli’s been tearing it up this season – three straight wins, all from pole – and it’s got people talking. Miami was rough for Russell; he finished fourth, over 43 seconds behind Antonelli. That gap isn’t just big; it’s glaring, and it’s putting some real heat on their rivalry at Mercedes.
Russell isn’t pretending things are fine, but he’s not throwing in the towel either. He gets what Antonelli’s doing and gives props where they’re deserved. “He’s a fantastic driver, and he’s been fast since day one,” Russell said. “You don’t win all those championships as a kid if you’re not quick.” He means it, but he’s also drawing a boundary. Russell still believes in himself, and he’s not giving up on the championship.
“I’ve still got confidence in myself, and I haven’t forgotten how to drive,” he said with a little smile. “It’s just a tricky patch, but we’re only four races in; there’s a lot more to come. We’ll sort things out over the next few weeks.”
That “tricky patch” doesn’t just mean some tough luck; it includes a 20-point deficit and a teammate who won’t stop rewriting history. Antonelli’s winning streak has changed the vibe at Mercedes, at least for now.
Russell knows all about momentum and how it doesn’t always stick around. “He’s got momentum right now; he’s flying,” Russell admitted. “But I’ve won championships myself, and I know momentum swings back and forth all year.” He actually doesn’t seem bothered by the points gap. “Honestly, I’m not even thinking about it,” he said.
It’s a calm answer from a guy who’s been here before, leaning on experience while Antonelli rides his hot streak. Russell keeps saying 'big picture, patience, not panic'.
“I just want to get back on top of the podium,” he said. “I had the pace for the first three races, but this weekend I was nowhere close. It could have gone very differently these last few weeks, and this weekend could’ve just been a blip. But some races in Japan and China didn’t go my way. That’s how F1 goes sometimes.”
Still, confidence doesn’t erase a 20-point gap, not if Antonelli keeps cruising. If Antonelli keeps piling up wins, Russell’s going to have to fight more than just the stopwatch. Losing to your teammate over and over starts to mess with your head. Russell began the season as the guy to beat, but the longer this keeps up, the tougher it gets to grab hold of the story again.
He’s holding firm, for now. But F1 doesn’t wait for anyone. What does Russell call “just a tricky run”? Well, if momentum doesn’t swing his way soon, it could become a whole lot more than that.
MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES FRONT ROW IN MIAMI AS RED BULL UPGRADES DELIVER IMMEDIATE RESULTS
Charles Leclerc admitted surprise at Red Bull's pace after Max Verstappen finished P2, just 0.166s behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli.
Charles Leclerc expected Red Bull to bounce back, but he couldn’t help admiring Max Verstappen’s raw speed at the Miami Grand Prix.
Red Bull rolled into Miami with a big upgrade, looking to recover after a rough start to the season. Verstappen, a four-time world champ, landed his Red Bull in second during qualifying. He was only 0.166 seconds behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes, nearly snatching pole. After qualifying, Verstappen said he finally feels like he’s back in control of his car.
Leclerc was impressed by the turnaround. “Honestly, it’s not shocking to see Kimi up there. Mercedes has been the quickest team this year, and Kimi’s been amazing these last few races,” Leclerc said. “But Max and Red Bull are coming back like this? That’s a bit more surprising. The upgrades clearly worked, and you can’t forget how strong that team really is. You never expect them to just sit back and accept a slow start.”
He added, “We figured they’d come back swinging, but to see them right back on the front row after struggling at the start… that’s something else. It’s pretty remarkable. Still, my job’s the same: beat those guys. That’s where my head’s at right now.”
Leclerc had to settle for third on the grid for Sunday’s race. Ferrari looked strong early in qualifying, but their hopes faded by Q3.
He talked about the changing conditions, but didn’t think that’s what hurt Ferrari. “The wind definitely played a part, but track temperature wasn’t all that different, so I don’t think that’s the reason,” he said. “Maybe the track changed, and we didn’t see it coming, or maybe pushing harder today in qualifying just made our car’s weak spots stand out more.”
Leclerc admitted he hadn’t dug into the numbers yet; he’d just gotten out of the car. “We’ll have to check the details to figure out exactly where we lost time.”
