Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc endured a difficult Qatar Grand Prix as Ferrari struggled for pace, once again, with the Brit admitting it was a ‘very tough’ weekend.
Lewis Hamilton confessed Ferrari endured a ‘very tough weekend’ after battling to stay competitive in the Qatar Grand Prix. It arrives near the conclusion of what has proved a demanding season for the Briton, who would have envisioned the beginning of his stint with the Prancing Horse unfolding quite differently.
The team has faced difficulties, with both the car’s performance and tactical decisions throughout the campaign, issues that persisted at the second-to-last race in Qatar. The Sprint event witnessed Hamilton and Charles Leclerc cross the line in 17th and 13th positions respectively, leaving them well outside the points-scoring places.
Qualifying proved equally problematic for the Italian outfit. Hamilton was eliminated in Q1 while Leclerc managed to secure a Q3 spot, but started from 10th on the grid.
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Both racers succeeded in gaining several places during the main event, yet with minimal effect on their season-long championship positions.
Leclerc managed to secure P8, collecting a handful of points, while Hamilton’s P12 result showed progress – but insufficient to bag any championship points.
It prolongs what has been somewhat of a disappointing campaign for the two Ferrari drivers, who would have anticipated being more competitive.
While attention is squarely focused on potential improvements for 2026, the anguish is evidently being extended across the remaining races of this season. Following the race, Hamilton was informed of Leclerc’s description of the situation as a continuation of the ‘disaster’ they’ve been grappling with.
The British racer appeared taken aback by his team-mate’s strong language, but didn’t dispute it. After the Qatar Grand Prix, he told the press: “He [Leclerc] said that [it was a disaster]?
“I’m trying to think of what could be worse than that word. I will just say it was a very tough weekend.”
The points drought in Qatar now sees Hamilton battling to hold on to sixth place in this season’s World Drivers’ Championship. The 40-year-old currently boasts 152 points, but Kimi Antonelli – his replacement at Mercedes this season – is hot on his heels with 150 points.
Should he slip to seventh spot, it would equal his worst-ever finish in the championship standings, mirroring last season’s low point during a challenging year with Mercedes. While a dream move to Ferrari was hoped to propel him back to the top, it has instead turned into something of a nightmare.
After the Las Vegas Grand Prix, a disheartened Hamilton opened up about his struggles, admitting: “I feel terrible, terrible. It’s been the worst season ever. No matter how much I try, it keeps getting worse. I’m trying everything, in and out of the car.”
The iconic British driver has inked a long-term deal with Ferrari – ensuring he’ll be racing alongside Leclerc in 2026. The team is hopeful of identifying and rectifying the issues that have been troubling both drivers with their current car model, to boost their competitiveness.
However, for the time being, all eyes are on the upcoming Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, as they aim to put an end to what has been a disastrous season so far, which could potentially be Hamilton’s first without a podium finish.
