One of the big favorites in Austin, Ferrari, could not perform up to expectations during the qualifying for the United States Grand Prix. Despite having dominated the practice sessions, the drivers of the Italian team, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, qualified in fourth and fifth positions, far from the front row.
Leclerc had been the fastest in the first two sessions before Hamilton set a faster time in the third, after Leclerc’s best lap was deleted. Expectations were high for qualifying, with Ferrari competing for pole position against the championship leader, Max Verstappen.
Performance Issues
The qualifying session showcased the increasing competition between teams, with Mercedes entering the fray. Kimi Antonelli achieved a notable time in Q3, which was enough to secure pole ahead of Verstappen. In contrast, Ferrari’s speed stabilized, and both Leclerc and Hamilton could not improve at the end of the session.
The main problem lay in straight-line speed and tire preparation. Although Ferrari showed strength in slow corners, they struggled to adequately adjust the tires during Q3.
Leclerc’s Analysis
Leclerc noted that changes in track temperature influenced performance during qualifying. The chassis setup of Ferrari keeps the tires cooler during the race, but this can compromise performance on fast laps. With lower temperatures in Q3, the drivers found it difficult to find the optimal working point for the tires.
“It’s very disappointing, as we have been competitive in practice. However, the others seem to have better straight-line speed and we are struggling to match them,” explained the Monegasque driver.
Hamilton’s Opinion
On the other hand, Hamilton did not encounter the same problems as Leclerc. He highlighted that he had a good run preparing the tires and that his last lap was clean. According to him, Ferrari’s issues stem from the management of their power unit, with performance losses on the straights.
“I don’t know what’s happened, but they seem to have lost power in certain situations on track. Their car is good, but on the straights, they can’t keep up with our pace,” Hamilton stated.
If the problem is indeed related to the tires, Ferrari could manage tire temperatures better during the race. However, improving the engine power will be a greater challenge, especially on a track like Austin with long straights.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
