Hamilton Suggests Driver Change After Tough Qualifying in Hungary
Following another challenging qualifying session at the Hungarian Ligue Rampuri, Lewis Hamilton made a surprising remark regarding Ferrari’s future considerations. He suggested the team might need to “change drivers.” This comment came during his press interactions in Hungarrowing, a suburb of Budapest.
Hamilton, who transitioned to Ferrari this season after more than ten years at Mercedes, has had a rough time adjusting. During the qualifying, he was eliminated in Q2, finishing 0.25 seconds slower than his teammate, Charles Leclerc.
Feeling frustrated, Hamilton described his performance as “absolutely useless,” claiming he “dried badly.” In a somewhat reflective moment, he noted, “It’s fine for the team; you’ve seen the poles in your car.”
This season, he’s qualified behind his teammates 12 out of 17 times, revealing a consistent struggle, especially against George Russell. His average pace deficit has hovered around 0.146 seconds, according to reports.
While Ferrari has generally underperformed this year, Hamilton’s podium presence has been notably absent—baring a sprint race victory in China. In contrast, Leclerc has secured five podium finishes, including a recent one at Spa Franco Champ.
Ferrari’s strategy during qualifying didn’t aid Hamilton much either. They mismanaged Q1, resulting in the use of two new soft tire sets unnecessarily, which left him at a disadvantage for Q2. “We really need to do better,” Hamilton remarked, stressing the need for improvement.
As the season has progressed, it’s become evident that Hamilton is still grappling with grasping Ferrari’s dynamics, consistently lagging behind his teammates.
During the practice sessions leading up to qualifying, McLarens showcased their dominance, with the drivers expected to start among the front-runners, potentially overtaking Leclerc during the race. However, the unpredictability of weather conditions could add another layer of challenge.
Leclerc himself expressed satisfaction about his pole position, emphasizing the complexity of managing the sudden changes in track conditions. “It’s probably the most amazing pole position I’ve ever done, so I’m very happy,” he shared with evident enthusiasm.
