Jul.27 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton’s difficult first season with Ferrari sank to a new low at Spa, where he was eliminated in Q1 twice and admitted he “really has to look in the mirror now.”
The seven-time world champion spun out of sprint qualifying, then lost his best lap in main qualifying to track limits – a double blow at a circuit where he’s historically excelled.
“One car delivers and I don’t,” Hamilton told Sky Italia. “I don’t take this lightly.
“I feel really sorry for the team and also for the people at the factory. It’s not acceptable. I’m trying to do better.
“It’s devastating for the team. Everyone is working so hard and bringing great upgrades here.”
Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur denied there’s an alarming pace deficit, but acknowledged Hamilton is lacking confidence. “It was a tough weekend to get everything set up and get comfortable in the car,” he said. “We couldn’t do long stints in the only practice session.”
“Hamilton just needs to be calm and put it all together. The speed is there, you could see it in the intermediate sectors, both yesterday and today.
“I think Hamilton is just lacking confidence at the moment,” said the Frenchman.
The focus is on Ferrari’s new rear suspension – part of a broader upgrade that earlier included a new floor – which many believe suits Charles Leclerc’s style more than Hamilton’s.
“With the new suspension, it’s a bit of a different car we have,” admitted Vasseur. “Even if you suffer a bit at the beginning, it’s ultimately good for the rest of the season.”
In the other car, Leclerc was more at ease and qualified strongly. “I’m very happy for Charles,” said Vasseur. “He drove an excellent lap. We’re still trying to make progress with this new package.”
Leclerc isn’t convinced the upgrade will close the gap. “Yes, it’s an upgrade and it’s a step in the right direction, but we are still speaking about very fine differences over a whole lap,” he told Canal Plus.
“Compared to McLaren, I think we are probably on average three or four tenths behind. I don’t think we’ll find those three or four tenths in that upgrade.”
Ralf Schumacher, former F1 driver and Sky Deutschland pundit, believes the new setup simply doesn’t suit Hamilton. “My opinion is that this car isn’t his. It’s more Charles Leclerc’s.
“And Leclerc is more open, he’s younger. Lewis needs a certain consistency. He doesn’t like the new rear end quite as much.”
Pedro de la Rosa, speaking on DAZN, agrees Hamilton may be losing his footing. “There are signs that he’s losing confidence,” said the Aston Martin ambassador, who has worked closely with the seven-time world champion.
“It’s hard when things are going wrong. For me, the important thing is not to lose confidence.”
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