MIAMI, Florida — On one finish of the paddock at Onerous Rock Stadium Mercedes was celebrating Kimi Antonelli’s first pole place in System 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 motive force whose seat Antonelli stuffed in the beginning of the 2025 season was in search of solutions but once more, and struggling to seek 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 pace, however we simply maintain working from there,” stated Lewis Hamilton after qualifying seventh.
The Ferrari driver conceded that he was not optimistic about preventing ahead when the lights exit on Saturday.
“I believe all of the automobiles forward are quicker. I don’t know what else to say.”
Requested whether or not he and the crew may 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” out there.
“There are at all times concepts. Whether or not or not they are going to be proper or not…there’s undoubtedly learnings to be taken – set-up adjustments, how the automotive behaved, there’s undoubtedly work to do to select up pace 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.
“Unhealthy,” started Leclerc when requested how he felt qualifying went. “The lap was good, however the tempo is simply under no circumstances there for now, so it’s a bit annoying nevertheless it’s the way in which it’s for now.
“I’ll attempt 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 at the moment. 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 sort of nook. Sure, the slow-speed appears to be slightly bit extra of our weak spot, nevertheless it adjustments from one weekend to the opposite, so it’s simply not nice.”
After praising Antonelli, Ferrari Group 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 good distance forward,” started Vasseur within the crew’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 troublesome to place every part collectively. There have been some errors and we’ve struggled with the automotive stability and that comes at a value in at the moment’s System 1.
“Tomorrow within the Dash race, tire administration and degradation will come into play and it may very well be one other story.”
The difficulty is perhaps the site visitors that each Hamilton and Leclerc will face. Talking with the media on Thursday, Leclerc confused how troublesome 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 site visitors is a a lot totally different story, in line with Leclerc.
“It’s attention-grabbing as a result of these automobiles are very, very troublesome to drive in soiled [air], particularly this yr,” 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 as a way 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 perhaps powerful, given the automobiles that can begin in entrance of them.
