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Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari set for key discussions after qualifying frustrations at Singapore Grand Prix
Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton has confirmed that he will hold crucial discussions with Ferrari following a frustrating qualifying session at the Singapore Grand Prix, where both drivers struggled to maximize the team’s potential. Despite showing promising early pace and outperforming teammate Charles Leclerc in the initial stages, Hamilton was ultimately left disappointed as Ferrari failed to match the speed of Mercedes and McLaren in the decisive final session.
Hamilton had looked confident throughout the weekend, delivering strong laps during Q1, where he briefly appeared to be in contention for pole position. The British driver described feeling “on it all weekend” and comfortable with the balance of his SF-25, raising hopes that Ferrari could challenge at the front. However, as qualifying progressed, the team’s pace faded, leaving Hamilton sixth on the grid and Leclerc one position behind in seventh.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after the session, Hamilton explained that Ferrari’s struggles weren’t due to a lack of pace in the car, but rather a series of strategic missteps and timing issues that cost them valuable tyre temperature and performance. “I’ve enjoyed it. I felt good in the car, and we saw in Q1 I was really strong — I thought we’d be fighting for the top spots,” Hamilton said. “But sometimes the way the plan goes, waiting too long in the pit lane, losing tyre temperature, and doing an extra out-lap adds up. We just didn’t optimize the sessions.”
Hamilton revealed that he intends to discuss these operational issues with the Ferrari leadership team in private meetings before the race. His comments suggested a desire to refine the team’s qualifying strategy rather than criticize their efforts. “We’ll talk about it in the background,” he continued. “We just need to have conversations about how to improve the process. Everyone is giving it their all, but we have to look at what other teams are doing better.”
The British driver pointed to Mercedes’ approach as an example, noting that his former team managed their tyre preparation far more effectively during qualifying. “Mercedes went out first and didn’t lose any tyre temperature. They were ready to go, while we were sitting there at the end of the pit lane with the car turned off,” Hamilton said. “We lose five or six degrees of temperature doing that, and it’s really hard to get that back. By the time Q3 came, I just didn’t have the grip — the tyres lost performance, and we dropped half a second.”
Despite the frustration, Hamilton remained optimistic about Ferrari’s potential and praised the team’s determination to keep improving. The 39-year-old acknowledged that the Italian outfit has made progress since earlier in the season and stressed the importance of continuing to build cohesion within the team. “Everyone is working incredibly hard,” he said. “We just need to fine-tune a few things. The car feels good, and if we get everything right, we can still have a strong race tomorrow.”
Ferrari will now head into Sunday’s Grand Prix looking to recover from a disappointing qualifying, with both Hamilton and Leclerc aiming to capitalize on race pace and strategy opportunities. The internal talks between Hamilton and the Ferrari engineers are expected to focus on pit-lane timing, tyre management, and communication, as the team seeks to unlock more consistent qualifying performance in the remaining rounds of the 2025 season.
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