MIAMI, Florida — On one finish of the paddock at Arduous Rock Stadium Mercedes was celebrating Kimi Antonelli’s first pole place in System 1, because the younger driver captured P1 for Saturday’s F1 Dash race on the Miami Grand Prix.
On the opposite finish of the paddock, the driving force whose seat Antonelli stuffed at the beginning of the 2025 season was in search of solutions but once more, and struggling to search out them.
“It was a greater session. P1 was most likely a bit higher, the automobile was a bit higher, the automobile was a bit nicer to drive. We’re simply missing pace, however we simply hold working from there,” mentioned Lewis Hamilton after qualifying seventh.
The Ferrari driver conceded that he was not optimistic about preventing ahead when the lights exit on Saturday.
“I feel all of the vehicles forward are sooner. I don’t know what else to say.”
Requested whether or not he and the staff might make some enhancements forward of qualifying for the Miami Grand Prix, which comes later within the day on Saturday, Hamilton outlined that there are at all times “concepts” accessible.
“There are at all times concepts. Whether or not or not they are going to be proper or not…there’s undoubtedly learnings to be taken – set-up adjustments, how the automobile behaved, there’s undoubtedly work to do to choose up pace going into the remainder of the weekend.”
On the opposite aspect of the storage Charles Leclerc — who certified simply forward of Hamilton in P6 — shared his personal frustration with the “annoying” lack of tempo from the SF-25.
“Unhealthy,” started Leclerc when requested how he felt qualifying went. “The lap was good, however the tempo is simply in no way there for now, so it’s a bit annoying nevertheless it’s the way in which it’s for now.
“I’ll strive my greatest tomorrow to attempt to do one thing particular with the beginning, however to be sincere, there’s not a lot room for enchancment right this moment. It was simply… that’s the tempo of the automobile,” continued Leclerc.
“It’s each nook, actually, so it’s not like we’re significantly weak in a single kind of nook. Sure, the slow-speed appears to be somewhat bit extra of our weak point, nevertheless it adjustments from one weekend to the opposite, so it’s simply not nice.”
After praising Antonelli, Ferrari Group Principal Frederic Vasseur sounded a bit extra optimistic than his two drivers.
“Congratulations to Kimi for his mega lap, he did an excellent job and he’s a good distance forward,” started Vasseur within the staff’s post-session media report.
“Behind him the scenario was a lot nearer and we weren’t removed from the blokes in entrance of us however that’s not sufficient, as we discovered it troublesome to place every part collectively. There have been some errors and we have now struggled with the automobile steadiness and that comes at a value in right this moment’s System 1.
“Tomorrow within the Dash race, tire administration and degradation will come into play and it could possibly be one other story.”
The difficulty could be the site visitors that each Hamilton and Leclerc will face. Talking with the media on Thursday, Leclerc harassed how troublesome it’s to run in soiled air this season. Hamilton’s win within the F1 Dash race on the Chinese language Grand Prix, for instance, got here when he certified up entrance.
Operating in site visitors is a a lot totally different story, in keeping with Leclerc.
“It’s attention-grabbing as a result of these vehicles are very, very troublesome to drive in soiled (air), particularly this 12 months,” mentioned Leclerc on Thursday throughout his media session. “We see extra variations than prior to now, and so yeah, that makes a distinction to try to discover free air and use your tempo with a purpose to have a strategic benefit afterward within the race.”
If Leclerc or Hamilton can discover that free air, they could have a shot on Saturday within the F1 Dash race.
However discovering it could be robust, given the vehicles that can begin in entrance of them.
