Lewis Hamilton falls short of Ferrari potential in Japan GP qualifying: ‘Not good enough'
Lewis Hamilton acknowledged his final laps in qualifying were 'not good enough' as he qualified a lowly eighth for the Japanese Grand Prix.
While Max Verstappen took a sensational F1 pole position at Suzuka ahead of both McLaren drivers, seven-time world champion Hamilton struggled and looked short of table-topping pace throughout the session.
Advertisement
In the end, he was only eighth-fastest – behind both Mercedes drivers and Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar – and was three-tenths off Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc in fourth.
'Not good enough from my side, P8 is not great,' Hamilton said afterwards.
'I was happy to get into Q3, it's a really tight battle, just didn't get great laps in in Q3.'
Hamilton admitted that Ferrari are running a higher ride-height on their car this weekend, as a result of their disqualifications a fortnight ago in China, but insisted there was optimism ahead of the race on Sunday – which could be impacted by rain.
'We are running higher than we'd like,' Hamilton said. 'I don't know if everyone is in the same boat in that respect, it's higher than we want to be from the weekend before.
Advertisement
'Charles did a great lap. I had a lot of understeer and couldn't dial it up for qualifying.'
Lewis Hamilton qualified in eighth place for the Japan GP (Getty Images)
On the potential for a wet-race, the 40-year-old added: 'I'm excited, I love the rain.
TOP-10 - JAPAN GP QUALIFYING
1. Max Verstappen - 1:26:983
2. Lando Norris +0.012
3. Oscar Piastri +0.044
4. Charles Leclerc +0.316
5. George Russell +0.335
6. Kimi Antonelli +0.572
7. Isack Hadjar +0.586
8. Lewis Hamilton +0.627
9. Alex Albon +0.632
10. Ollie Bearman +0.884
'It'll be tricky, if you have a qualifying like that you hope for rain, so hopefully it stays.'
Hamilton is currently ninth in the championship standings, having won the sprint race in Shanghai, but will be looking for a strong start on Sunday to make up some positions early on.
Advertisement
The Brit's teammate Leclerc, however, was satisfied with his lap in the final stage of qualifying.
'I think the lap was really, really good,' he said.
'Not much I could have done better. We unlocked some performance yesterday, today in qualifying it started to go away from us a little bit, especially in Q3.
'Overall, the lap... I was really happy with it. There's still a big gap to McLaren and Red Bull, but as a whole, it's been positive, I feel a lot more confident with the car.'
The race on Sunday takes place at 6am (BST).
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
McLaren play it cool after Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri collide
McLaren attempted to play down any acrimony between its drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri after they collided at the Canadian GP, which saw the Briton crash out, as George Russell claimed a decisive victory for Mercedes after starting on pole. Norris's failure to finish, crashing out from fifth place with three laps left, means that the Australian, who finished fourth, increases his championship lead over his teammate to 22 points. Russell now sits in fourth in the standings, 62 points off Piastri. Advertisement Related: Norris collides with Piastri as Russell wins from pole at Canadian F1 GP Norris was quick to hold up his hands over the crash on the team radio: 'All my bad, all my fault, stupid from me,' he said straight after the incident. Later he added: 'There's no one to blame but myself, so I apologise to the whole team and to Oscar for attempting something probably a bit too silly. I'm glad I didn't ruin his race.' The McLaren team principal, Andrea Stella, told Sky Sports: 'We definitely never want to see the two McLarens touching each other. At the same time, it's a contact that happened because of a misjudgment. Lando misjudged the distance to the car ahead. There was no malintent and Lando owned up immediately, took responsibility, which we appreciate. But it's certainly something to discuss and review.' Piastri said the tussle between the two drivers had been a fair one. 'It was a tough battle but a clean one. I don't think there were any bad intentions involved, I think it was just unfortunate. We're both fighting for a world championship and I'm very thankful to the team that they allow us to race. I don't expect this to change anything in terms of that.' The long straights, heavy braking zones, kerbs and lack of long, fast corners at the Montreal circuit did not play to the strengths of McLaren's car, which has set the pace everywhere else in 2025, and Norris is fortunate that his error cost him a fifth place, not second. It is not the first time Norris has made costly errors this season, while Piastri, a small error in Australia in greasy conditions apart, has been a model of consistency.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Lewis Hamilton Fought For Equal Treatment Before His First F1 Win: 'I Remember Arguing'
Lewis Hamilton Fought For Equal Treatment Before His First F1 Win: 'I Remember Arguing' originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Lewis Hamilton has opened up about the behind-the-scenes battle that preceded his first-ever Formula 1 victory and how it came down to demanding equal treatment. Advertisement Speaking ahead of the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, the seven-time World Champion reflected on his breakthrough 2007 win at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. While fans remember the race for Hamilton's pole position and dominant drive, the Brit says there was a quiet struggle for fairness brewing inside the McLaren garage. 'That was actually the race where, back then with refuelling, the two cars were separated by a couple of laps of fuel,' Hamilton said. 'One car would get lighter fuel… and because Fernando [Alonso] was the World Champion, he'd always get the lighter fuel.' Hamilton revealed he was often sent out with heavier fuel loads during qualifying which added extra tenths to his lap time and tilted the competitive balance. The dynamic finally reached a boiling point after Monaco, where Hamilton voiced his frustration. Lewis Hamilton in the media pen after the 2025 Spanish GP.'I remember arguing after Monaco that I want equal opportunity and equal chance,' he said. 'And they gave us equal fuel and then I qualified for the pole and won my first race.' Advertisement That first victory, at just his sixth Grand Prix start, marked the beginning of a record-breaking F1 career. But according to Hamilton, it was also a defining moment of personal growth. 'It was one of those moments where you had to listen to your intuition and really fight for what you feel is right,' he reflected. 'And that was one of those high moments for me.' Hamilton's reflections add new perspective to one of the most iconic wins of his career. The 2007 Canadian Grand Prix not only proved he had the speed to match champions, it showed he had the voice and determination to stand up for himself inside one of the most powerful teams in the sport. Advertisement As he returns to Montreal nearly two decades later, the moment remains a symbol of both his talent and his tenacity. Related: Lewis Hamilton Launches House 44, a $13,500 VIP Experience for Hardcore F1 Fans This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 13, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Lewis Hamilton Shares Emotional Message as His Brother Returns to Racing With Cerebral Palsy
Lewis Hamilton Shares Emotional Message as His Brother Returns to Racing With Cerebral Palsy originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Four-time British Touring Car Championship driver Nicolas Hamilton is back on the grid and his brother Lewis Hamilton couldn't be prouder. Advertisement In a wholesome Instagram story, the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion celebrated his brother's return to the track by resharing a video the 33-year-old posted about walking to his BTCC car despite recent physical struggles. 'My brother is back racing! Go give him some love,' Lewis wrote. Nicolas, who was born with cerebral palsy, opened up honestly about the challenges he faces with mobility. 'Walking always feels less severe in terms of movement to me on the inside, as it looks on the outside,' he wrote. 'I have not been walking great recently, due to tightness and potential aging… but I'm just grateful to be able to walk in the first place.' Lewis Hamilton in the media pen after the 2025 Spanish video shows Nicolas making his way toward his race car with determination, a moment that resonated deeply with fans across motorsport. 'I might be walking poorly in my eyes, but I'm still walking to my BTCC race car!' he added. Advertisement The younger Hamilton has long been a source of inspiration, becoming the first disabled driver to compete in BTCC. He races with specially modified pedals and hand controls, defying the odds on some of the UK's most competitive tracks. View the original article to see embedded media. 'Be proud of your disability whether you're able to walk or not. Whatever limitations of movement you have, move with pride,' he concluded. Lewis and Nicolas have often spoken about their tight bond. This latest show of support underscores how personal strength and family pride continue to power both Hamilton on and off the track. Related: Lewis Hamilton Fought For Equal Treatment Before His First F1 Win: 'I Remember Arguing' This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
