Lewis Hamilton left 'praying' after Ferrari...read more

Lewis Hamilton ‘Praying’ for Better Performance After Challenging Qualifying in Saudi Arabia

Lewis Hamilton expressed his frustration following a difficult qualifying session at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, where he once again found himself trailing Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc.

The 40-year-old veteran will line up seventh on the grid for Sunday’s race, while Leclerc secured a stronger P4 starting position. Speaking to Sky Sports after the session, Hamilton reflected on what’s been a tough weekend.

“Qualifying was tough, as usual for me,” Hamilton admitted. “I’ve been off the pace all weekend — I think I was 13th in nearly every session — so honestly, I’m just thankful to have made it to Q3 and ended up P7.”

He added that while his final lap in Q3 wasn’t exceptional, there had been gradual improvements throughout the weekend. “I needed a stronger final lap, but I’m just grateful to be where I am. There’s still more to come.”

When asked about the chances of catching Leclerc during the race, Hamilton was realistic about his expectations. “More like praying! Right now, I’m struggling to connect with the car over a single lap. It’s proving to be a real challenge,” he said.

Still, the Brit remains determined. “We won’t give up. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. We’re going to keep pushing and working hard the support around me is incredible.”

While overtaking has been tough in 2025 due to heavy dirty air, which hindered action in Japan, Jeddah’s long straights and the softer Pirelli compounds could give Hamilton a better shot at moving forward during the race. His performance on Sunday will be key as he looks to recover and close the gap to his teammate.