RETIREMENT TALK LOOMS AS LEWIS HAMILTON'S INCONSISTENT FERRARI FORM CONTINUES
After back-to-back Q1 eliminations (P18 in Qatar), Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari struggles deepen. Experts point to a lack of car confidence, but Montoya dismisses retirement talk.
James Vowles, Williams' team boss and Mercedes' former chief strategist, finds Lewis Hamilton's double Q1 exit in Qatar odd, since he's usually on the pace.
Hamilton's first Ferrari season has been inconsistent, with progress often followed by setbacks. Lately, it's been more of the latter.
Hamilton's Qualifying Struggles in Qatar
After a possible breakthrough with his SF-25 from Singapore to Mexico, even achieving a season-best P3 qualifying in Mexico, he fell outside the top ten again in Sao Paulo, placing 13th, and then was eliminated in Q1 in Las Vegas.
In Sin City, the seven-time world champion was slowest, missing a Q2 spot by over two seconds.
His qualifying didn't improve in Qatar, where he was knocked out of SQ1 with the 18th fastest time, repeating this in qualifying. He was three-tenths off P15 in both sessions.
Hamilton said the car felt good, but the times didn't reflect it.
Vowles, who was important to Hamilton's six world titles with Mercedes, said he found Hamilton's lack of pace strange.
I think he's been on the pace normally, so, strangely, he's this far back, Vowles told Sky F1. Of course, we don't like to see that.”
According to Karun Chandhok, a former F1 driver, it's about car confidence, which Hamilton lacked in Qatar qualifying.
He didn't seem confident or have the grip to push. Here, through Turns 3 and 4, you can hear him hesitate on the throttle. "It's like multiple stabs," he said on SkyPad.
He's not confident enough to just go through and hit the throttle where he wants. At the Turn 6 hairpin, he's losing lap time. A bit of oversteer cost him another tenth on his final run.
Turn 15 is another place where he lost time. He couldn't carry the minimum speed.
Most drivers are just partially lifting through Turn 15. Hamilton's really coming off the throttle. It's frustrating for him.
Could Hamilton End His F1 Career?
His ongoing struggles have raised the question of retirement.
Could Hamilton, with seven world titles, 105 Grand Prix wins, and 104 pole positions, end his F1 career after failing to pass Q1?
Juan Pablo Montoya says no.
"I think Lewis is frustrated," Montoya told F1TV.
I think he's venting. He was composed at the start of the year when he wasn't running well, and people were questioning him.
I think he got to a point where he said, 'I don't care. I'm just going to say how frustrated I am.' I think he still wants to do the job.
In Brazil, he was doing well. If Charles hadn't spun, he would have outqualified him.
So yes, he's still missing pace in the race. I don't think it's the easiest car to drive, and he doesn't need to prove anything, but he loves racing.
So, he's not happy, but he doesn't want to quit now. I think he wants to prove he can still do it.”
Hamilton's contract with Ferrari goes until the F1 2026 season, when Formula 1 will have brand-name cars and engines. The sport will use active aerodynamics with moveable front and rear wings and will also go into a 50/50 split between combustion and electric power.
There have been talks suggesting that F1 could become a thinking man’s game, and that could help Hamilton.
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.”
