MIAMI, Florida — On one finish of the paddock at Arduous Rock Stadium Mercedes was celebrating Kimi Antonelli’s first pole place in Components 1, because the younger driver captured P1 for Saturday’s F1 Dash race on the Miami Grand Prix.
On the opposite finish of the paddock, the driving force whose seat Antonelli crammed in the beginning of the 2025 season was in search of solutions but once more, and struggling to search out them.
“It was a greater session. P1 was in all probability a bit higher, the automotive was a bit higher, the automotive was a bit nicer to drive. We’re simply missing velocity, however we simply maintain working from there,” stated Lewis Hamilton after qualifying seventh.
The Ferrari driver conceded that he was not optimistic about combating ahead when the lights exit on Saturday.
“I feel all of the automobiles forward are quicker. I don’t know what else to say.”
Requested whether or not he and the staff might make some enhancements forward of qualifying for the Miami Grand Prix, which comes later within the day on Saturday, Hamilton outlined that there are at all times “concepts” accessible.
“There are at all times concepts. Whether or not or not they are going to be proper or not…there’s positively learnings to be taken – set-up adjustments, how the automotive behaved, there’s positively work to do to select up velocity going into the remainder of the weekend.”
On the opposite aspect of the storage Charles Leclerc — who certified simply forward of Hamilton in P6 — shared his personal frustration with the “annoying” lack of tempo from the SF-25.
“Dangerous,” started Leclerc when requested how he felt qualifying went. “The lap was good, however the tempo is simply by no means there for now, so it’s a bit annoying however it’s the best way it’s for now.
“I’ll strive my finest tomorrow to attempt to do one thing particular with the beginning, however to be trustworthy, there’s not a lot room for enchancment immediately. It was simply… that’s the tempo of the automotive,” continued Leclerc.
“It’s each nook, actually, so it’s not like we’re notably weak in a single kind of nook. Sure, the slow-speed appears to be just a little bit extra of our weak point, however it adjustments from one weekend to the opposite, so it’s simply not nice.”
After praising Antonelli, Ferrari Staff Principal Frederic Vasseur sounded a bit extra optimistic than his two drivers.
“Congratulations to Kimi for his mega lap, he did an excellent job and he’s a great distance forward,” started Vasseur within the staff’s post-session media report.
“Behind him the scenario was a lot nearer and we weren’t removed from the fellows in entrance of us however that’s not sufficient, as we discovered it tough to place every part collectively. There have been some errors and we’ve got struggled with the automotive stability and that comes at a worth in immediately’s Components 1.
“Tomorrow within the Dash race, tire administration and degradation will come into play and it might be one other story.”
The difficulty is likely to be the visitors that each Hamilton and Leclerc will face. Talking with the media on Thursday, Leclerc harassed how tough it’s to run in soiled air this season. Hamilton’s win within the F1 Dash race on the Chinese language Grand Prix, for instance, got here when he certified up entrance.
Working in visitors is a a lot completely different story, in keeping with Leclerc.
“It’s fascinating as a result of these automobiles are very, very tough to drive in soiled [air], particularly this 12 months,” stated Leclerc on Thursday throughout his media session. “We see extra variations than up to now, and so yeah, that makes a distinction to attempt to discover free air and use your tempo with a purpose to have a strategic benefit in a while within the race.”
If Leclerc or Hamilton can discover that free air, they could have a shot on Saturday within the F1 Dash race.
However discovering it is likely to be robust, given the automobiles that can begin in entrance of them.
