Lewis Hamilton Unleashes Fury Over Dull Qatar GP: “One of the Worst Races”
In a scathing critique that has sent shockwaves through the motorsport community, Lewis Hamilton has branded the Qatar Grand Prix as a “dull” and “restrictive” event, highlighting a series of factors that left drivers with virtually nothing to fight for on the track. The seven-time world champion, who found himself starting from a disappointing 17th position, expressed his frustration after finishing the race in an uninspiring 12th place.
The Lusail International Circuit proved to be a graveyard for overtaking as Hamilton, despite a decent start that saw him gain three positions, faced a daunting double stack behind his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc. The lack of overtaking opportunities meant that the Briton was unable to replicate his Las Vegas heroics, resulting in a race that he described as “one of the least rewarding of the season.”
“I had a good first lap, and after that it was pretty dull,” Hamilton lamented to the media, emphasizing the lack of excitement that permeated the event. But his criticism didn’t stop there; he broadened the scope of his discontent to include the entire race weekend. The FIA’s decision to impose a rigid 25-lap tyre maximum has created a predictable race format, stifling any chance of strategic variation and leading to a procession of cars rather than a competitive spectacle.
“I’m sure there’s been other bad races here,” he acknowledged, “but definitely one of the worst Grands Prix in that respect, because everyone just stopped at the same time. There’s no flexibility, and then on top of that, you can’t overtake.”
Hamilton contended that while the track may be exhilarating for a solo lap, it fails to deliver the pulse-pounding racing that fans crave. “It was probably the same for everyone, you know, it’s just a track,” he added, underscoring the shared frustration among drivers.
In a pre-race warning to the FIA, Hamilton pointed out that the problems manifesting during the race were entirely foreseeable. “When I was in the drivers’ briefing, I asked them the question, ‘Why have you seen last year there was no overtaking? Why have you not, for example, increased the DRS?’ And they’re like, ‘Oh, hmm, hadn’t thought of that.’ I’m like, ‘What are you doing?’” His incredulity at the FIA’s lack of foresight was palpable as he called for immediate changes to improve the racing experience.
Hamilton also criticized the pit lane layout, revealing that the lengthy 26-second duration to navigate the pit area hampers the flow of the race. “If you go to the end of the pit lane, there’s a long space that’s just unnecessary to be in a pit lane,” he pointed out, calling for a reduction in the pit lane’s length to facilitate quicker stops and enhance competition.
With rigid tyre life and a lack of overtaking opportunities, the event fell flat, offering little in the way of thrilling action. “We’ve got these 25-lap maximum on these tyres, so it’s probably the worst race for us to go to when you can’t overtake,” Hamilton reiterated, stressing the need for a re-evaluation of race formats.
“This is a beautiful place, and really well-hosted,” he acknowledged, but he firmly stated, “they’ve got to come up with some other solution, because that, I don’t know, hopefully you write how bad that race was probably to watch. I imagine it’s pretty bad to watch.” He likened the experience to that of Monaco, where the thrill of driving is overshadowed by the inability to pass competitors.
Lewis Hamilton’s candid comments serve as a clarion call for change in Formula 1, emphasizing the urgent need for the FIA to rethink its strategies if it wishes to keep fans on the edge of their seats. The Qatar GP may have been a fast track to drive, but for spectators and participants alike, it proved to be a fast track to boredom.
