Lewis Hamilton’s hopes for a triumphant performance at the 2025 Japanese GP were dashed as he revealed the Ferrari issues that led to his disappointing qualifying round. The seven-time world champion, set to start in eighth position at Suzuka, blamed major handling problems on his lackluster performance, with Ferrari’s setup changes aimed at avoiding disqualification in China backfiring tremendously.
Both Red Bulls, McLarens, and even Hamilton’s teammate Charles Leclerc outperformed the British driver in qualifying, leaving him in a less than favorable starting position. Ferrari, still reeling from the disqualification of both drivers in Shanghai due to technical infringements, implemented changes to comply with regulations but inadvertently disrupted the car’s performance.
Hamilton expressed his frustration, stating, “Not good enough from my side. P8 is not great. We are running higher than I would like but everyone is in the same boat.” The handling issues, particularly understeer, plagued Hamilton throughout the session, making it challenging for him to extract the desired performance from the car.
While Hamilton remains optimistic about his performance in wet conditions, with a high chance of rain predicted for race day, his teammate Leclerc seemed to have found some solutions to enhance his driving style, allowing him to secure a fourth-place starting position.
As Ferrari heads into the Japanese GP seeking redemption, both drivers will need to navigate the unpredictable conditions and extract every bit of speed from their cars. The team’s setup miscalculation and subsequent handling woes have added an element of uncertainty to their performance, with the drivers teetering between progress and unpredictability on the track.
With the stage set for a thrilling race day at Suzuka, all eyes will be on Hamilton and Leclerc as they aim to overcome the challenges posed by Ferrari’s setup changes and deliver a spectacular performance in the Japanese Grand Prix.