PODIUM DROUGHT: P18 THREATENS LEWIS HAMILTON'S CAREER-LONG RECORD
Lewis Hamilton suffers another Q1 exit in Qatar, marking a new low in his "nightmare" debut Ferrari season. An ex-McLaren mechanic points to a crisis of confidence.
Lewis Hamilton had a tough time at the Qatar Grand Prix, getting knocked out in the first part of Sprint Qualifying for the second time this year. He only managed P18.
This also marks the fourth time this season that the 40-year-old hasn't made it past the first stage of qualifying. Twice before, he was out after Q1 during Grand Prix qualifying. In total, Hamilton has failed to reach the final qualifying stage 10 times.
In Las Vegas, Hamilton qualified last due to pace for the first time in his F1 career, after his first Q1 exit of 2025. Now, Sprint Qualifying at the Qatar GP matches his worst qualifying for a 100 km sprint in 2025, equaling his P18 in Belgium.
Back in March, during round two in China, Hamilton won the sprint from pole position. That's his only win in any race format as a Ferrari driver so far. He also took P3 in the Miami Sprint, his second and most recent podium this season.
After 22 of 24 rounds, Hamilton is still waiting for his first Grand Prix podium with Ferrari. The seven-time F1 champion has always managed at least one podium in every season of his 19-year career. Hamilton has described his first year with Ferrari as a nightmare.
He also called 2025 his worst season ever after the Las Vegas GP. Marc Priestley, who worked with Hamilton when he won his first title with McLaren in 2008, believes Hamilton's struggles with Ferrari clearly show a loss of confidence.
Priestley told BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra after Hamilton's SQ1 exit in Qatar, It’s really quite sad to see this. We know how talented and experienced Lewis Hamilton is. We also know how much his performance is affected by his emotions and what’s happening around him. When his confidence drops, which it clearly has recently, it really impacts how he performs. I’ve seen it firsthand.”
Sprint Qualifying in Qatar just adds to the problems of Lewis Hamilton's first year at Ferrari.
Sprint Qualifying at the Qatar GP is another low point in what's been a rough debut season for Hamilton as a Ferrari driver in 2025. His sprint win in China feels like a distant memory.
Things have been so bad in 2025 that Hamilton said he's not looking forward to 2026 after his tough time in Las Vegas. With only 152 points from 22 rounds, he's on track for his worst total since the points system changed in 2010, and his confidence has taken a big hit.
There's even talk that Hamilton might not finish his contract with Ferrari. He left Mercedes to replace Carlos Sainz on a two-year deal, with an option to stay through the 2027 season.
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.”
