Formula 1
Lewis Hamilton Calls Las Vegas GP ‘Horrendous’ as Ferrari Troubles Deepen
Seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton endured one of the most difficult weekends of his career at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, describing the entire event as “horrendous” after finishing P10 on track, later promoted to P8 following the disqualification of both McLarens. Despite the points, Hamilton made it clear the result meant little after a frustrating display from start to finish.
A Brutal Start: Worst Qualifying of Hamilton’s Career
Saturday’s qualifying session set the tone for the nightmare that followed. Lewis Hamilton ended the session at the very bottom of the grid, marking the first time in his F1 career that he had been the slowest on outright pace. Even with Yuki Tsunoda starting from the pit lane and elevating him to P19, Lewis Hamilton admitted the Ferrari lacked the comfort and consistency he needed.
When asked about the car’s performance, Lewis Hamilton didn’t hold back: “No, I really struggled… I was just really struggling with the brakes—locking the fronts, locking the rears. There was just no middle ground.”
The Ferrari star explained he gained positions early but still carried no real speed advantage, describing the car as unpredictable and unbalanced throughout the race.
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Race Recovery ‘Meaningless,’ Hamilton Says
Despite climbing nine places during the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton dismissed the idea of a satisfying recovery drive.
“Zero. The most meaningless nine places—it doesn’t mean anything. It’s still a bad weekend,” he said.
A collision with Alex Albon’s Williams added further complications, leaving Lewis Hamilton with car damage that eliminated any hope of a mid-race resurgence. With teammate Charles Leclerc finishing sixth, Ferrari slipped even further behind Mercedes and Red Bull in the constructors’ championship. Hamilton admitted his performance is hurting the team’s fight for P2, saying bluntly, “At this rate, with my performances, we don’t [have a chance].”
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Ferrari’s Fight for Second Slips Away
Ferrari now trails second-place Mercedes by 52 points, a gap that looks increasingly insurmountable with only Qatar and Abu Dhabi remaining. Lewis Hamilton has yet to score a podium with the Scuderia this season—a streak he is not optimistic about breaking.
“I’ve had 22 bad weekends. I anticipate another couple,” he said, revealing a level of frustration rarely heard from the F1 legend.
What’s Next for Hamilton?
Lewis Hamilton will now head into the Qatar and Abu Dhabi double-header hoping for a turnaround, but with expectations tempered. The Las Vegas GP may be behind him, but the pressure on Ferrari—and the cracks in his first season with the team—are only growing.
