“Tough Times Ahead: Lewis Hamilton may Face Fresh Miami GP Struggles due to…read more
Lewis Hamilton is anticipating another tough weekend as Formula 1 heads to Miami, following a disappointing showing at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Despite a brief resurgence during the Sprint event at the Chinese Grand Prix, Hamilton has generally lacked confidence and pace since his move to Ferrari. After finishing seventh at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, a full pitstop behind teammate Charles Leclerc, Hamilton expects more hardship at the Hard Rock Stadium circuit.
In Saudi Arabia, Hamilton was notably off the pace, ending up 30 seconds behind Leclerc, who secured a podium finish. His struggles have continued from his final seasons with Mercedes, where qualifying performance had already become a significant concern. Over the radio, Hamilton has been heard seeking answers about where he’s losing time compared to rivals, expressing confusion and frustration over his lack of competitiveness.
Speaking to Spanish media outlet DAZN after the Saudi race, Hamilton said he planned to cancel other commitments to focus on analyzing his difficulties, hoping to gain a better understanding ahead of Miami. However, his outlook remains bleak. “I think I’ll struggle also in Miami,” Hamilton admitted. “I don’t know how much longer I’ll struggle for, but it’s definitely painful. At the moment there’s no fix. So, this is how it’s going to be for the rest of the year. It’s going to be painful.”
The core of Hamilton’s problems appears to lie in medium- to high-speed corners, where he lacks the confidence and precision shown by Leclerc. Although data comparisons between the two drivers don’t show drastic differences, Hamilton acknowledges that Leclerc is able to carry more speed through the corners. Reflecting on this, Hamilton said, “He’s been driving this car for a long time, so he definitely knows it really well. There’s plenty in the data, for sure. It doesn’t look massively different in the data. Just… I go slower through the corners.”
Hamilton also pointed out that setup differences might be contributing to the gap but suggested that his own adaptation to the car is a significant factor. “Him and his side are definitely doing a better job,” he added.
The seven-time World Champion had believed he was making progress during the latter stages of the Bahrain Grand Prix, but his struggles in Saudi Arabia left him bewildered. Hamilton did not shy away from taking personal responsibility for the underwhelming performances, even joking that he might need a “brain transplant” to find the missing pace.
Describing the race in Jeddah as “horrible,” Hamilton said he found no positives to take away. “First stint, massive understeer, car not turning. And then massive deg. Second stint, slightly better balance, but still just no pace,” he lamented. Hamilton concluded that he is struggling to feel connected to the car and that no clear single issue has been identified. “In qualifying, it’s me extracting performance. In the race, I tried everything.”
As Formula 1 heads to Miami, Hamilton faces the daunting reality that the road to rediscovering his form may be longer and harder than he had hoped
