Both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton had little reason for optimism after a grueling qualifying session for the Qatar Grand Prix, with Leclerc slowest in Q3 and Hamilton eliminated in Q1.
Hamilton had already been eliminated in Friday’s SQ1 and set the 18th fastest time in Saturday’s session, while Leclerc himself struggled to break into the top ten. Leclerc suffered a high-speed spin at the penultimate corner and his final lap was good enough for 10th on the grid. He says this result was all about the car’s capabilities.
“It’s really difficult to drive and it’s just frustrating,” Leclerc said. “The second lap in Q3 was really good, but that was all I had for 10th and it was again very frustrating.
“I took a stupid amount of risks, like trying to get eighth or ninth at every corner in Q3, but I overdid it a little bit. Then I put it back in for the second run in Q3, which was fine. It was a really good lap, but there was nothing more in the car.”
Leclerc endured a tough sprint on Saturday and missed out on points, so he doesn’t expect the car to be any more competitive in the race itself.
“I’m generally a very optimistic person, but I have a hard time being optimistic about tomorrow,” he said. “There wasn’t one lap this weekend that gave me hope that things might be going in the right direction.
“Tomorrow is going to be a good day to try to keep the car on the track and try to get some points. I mean, I don’t want to go into the race thinking about getting some points and keeping the car on the track, so I’ll try to get in the top 10, but realistically, do I really believe in that? Honestly, I don’t think so.”
Hamilton was eliminated in Q1 at Las Vegas, making it his third straight loss in the first half of qualifying. Although the car was in a more friendly location for him, he says he still lacked pace.
“Overall I feel better. I’ve made changes,” Hamilton said. “The car was feeling better, but it just wasn’t fast…I think I looked pretty good in the early sessions, but then I stalled on the last lap.
“[The car]lacks stability, front and rear stability. There’s definitely a lack of downforce compared to the others. With jagged edges…”
“Now that we know we can’t overtake in a sprint, maybe we can try something different strategy-wise. We’ll see.”
Although Hamilton supports Ferrari’s decision to halt aerodynamic development on this year’s car, he believes the team is suffering overall from the public attention it receives.
“It’s my first year with the team, so I’m not aware of the psychological impact (of focusing on 2026),” he said. “The result is certainly for all the mechanics, all the engineers that come together every weekend, everyone that comes back to the factory… I think it’s a tough result for them. They come together and do their best, but I don’t think it’s just about aerodynamics. That’s exactly what we’re facing this year.”
“Also, the negativity that’s constantly in the media and things like that affects them. They go home to their wives and their wives say, ‘These are the things they say about the people you work for.’ I think that’s tough on them and their kids…It’s really affecting a lot of people.”
