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.
SERGIO PEREZ BREAKS SILENCE ON CADILLAC’S FIRST FOUR RACES OF 2026 F1 SEASON
Discover why Sergio Perez is confident in Cadillac’s 2026 path despite urgent needs for better pace and reliability fixes.
Sergio Perez didn’t waste time sharing his thoughts on Cadillac after the first four races of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Cadillac shows up in 2026 as F1’s newest team, but honestly, not a lot of people expected fireworks right away. With veterans like Valtteri Bottas and Perez behind the wheel, the team’s start has been a mix, some moments full of promise, others derailed by reliability issues.
Still, Cadillac isn’t just stuck at the back. Lately, they’ve been right there fighting with Aston Martin and even managed to split them in Miami, which turned a few heads.
Perez knows the team is at risk of falling behind in this crazy-fast development race, though. “We still have work to do, but I’m confident we’re on the right path,” he told reporters, including Motorsport Week.
He added, “Sometimes, once tyre degradation sets in, we can hang with the midfield, but they always seem to find another gear. There’s a long way to go this season, but we’re in a rush to find more pace. We know Aston will get stronger, and we don’t want to be left behind.”
Racing Aston Martin has actually brought Perez some enjoyment. He especially likes battling Fernando Alonso, calling those fights fair and satisfying. Still, he pointed out a weak spot: “We’re having fun with them. Racing Fernando is always great because he’s so fair. But we struggled with tyre degradation; we burnt through them too quickly. We picked the hard compound, but honestly, looking back, I should’ve gone with the soft.”
He said there’s plenty to analyse, and really, the key is getting a better grip on their car as they look ahead to Canada. “We don’t have much time, but in the short term, we need to fix the degradation. We have some ideas, but putting them together is our biggest challenge in the next few weeks.”
Cadillac may be the new kid on the block and still finding its feet, but it’s already starting to make an impact. The road out of the lower ranks won’t be easy, but they’re moving in the right direction.
HOW KIMI ANTONELLI’S THREE-RACE WIN STREAK IS REDEFINING THE MERCEDES TEAM HIERARCHY
With a 43-second gap in Miami, Antonelli proves he’s ready to lead the World Championship. Can Russell bounce back in Canada?
David Coulthard, the former Formula 1 driver, recently pointed out that Kimi Antonelli might be on track to overtake George Russell as Mercedes’ team leader.
Antonelli has been on an impressive run, clinching victories in the last three races and pulling ahead by 20 points over his main competitor and teammate, Russell.
At the Miami race, the young Italian once again outperformed his more seasoned teammate, with Russell managing only fourth place, trailing by 43 seconds.
Coulthard acknowledged Antonelli’s rapid rise in 2026, which is just his second season in F1. He highlighted Antonelli’s strengths and suggested that the Italian is, in many ways, now leading the Mercedes team.
“He’s come of age,” Coulthard said during the Up To Speed podcast.
Despite being relatively new, Antonelli has shown resilience, dealing not only with the pressure from a driver like Lando ready to strike but also with technical glitches like inconsistent paddle shifts. Coulthard mentioned how Antonelli kept his cool even when his engineer, Bono, was trying to help troubleshoot the issue in a tense moment.
“I think he’s earned the right to lead the World Championship,” Coulthard added, noting that this situation probably feels uncomfortable for George. Still, the expectations now lean heavily toward Antonelli leading the team, especially based on recent results.
Coulthard also pointed out that Russell has the experience and skill to reclaim his position as the team’s lead driver, but emphasised that only one can come out on top; someone must finish first and the other second.
The rivalry between them might start opening doors for other teams. Coulthard noted that improvements from McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull were already noticeable, especially in Miami.
“Winning in the best car isn’t always straightforward. Many have tried and struggled,” he said.
For Russell, who is feeling the weight of this momentum shift, the upcoming race in Canada will be crucial if he wants to close the gap and halt Antonelli’s winning streak.
