MIAMI, Florida — On one finish of the paddock at Exhausting 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 driving force whose seat Antonelli crammed at first of the 2025 season was searching for 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,” mentioned 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 all the time “concepts” obtainable.
“There are all the time concepts. Whether or not or not they are going to be proper or not…there’s undoubtedly learnings to be taken – set-up modifications, how the automotive behaved, there’s undoubtedly work to do to select up velocity going into the remainder of the weekend.”
On the opposite facet 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 in no way there for now, so it’s a bit annoying however it’s the best way 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 this time. 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 slightly bit extra of our weak point, however it modifications from one weekend to the opposite, so it’s simply not nice.”
After praising Antonelli, Ferrari Workforce 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 crew’s post-session media report.
“Behind him the state of affairs 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 thing collectively. There have been some errors and we now have struggled with the automotive steadiness and that comes at a value in at this time’s System 1.
“Tomorrow within the Dash race, tire administration and degradation will come into play and it might be one other story.”
The difficulty may be the visitors that each Hamilton and Leclerc will face. Talking with the media on Thursday, Leclerc burdened 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.
Operating in visitors is a a lot totally 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 yr,” mentioned Leclerc on Thursday throughout his media session. “We see extra variations than prior to now, and so yeah, that makes a distinction to attempt to discover free air and use your tempo with a view to have a strategic benefit in a while within the race.”
If Leclerc or Hamilton can discover that free air, they might have a shot on Saturday within the F1 Dash race.
However discovering it may be powerful, given the automobiles that can begin in entrance of them.
