Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has delivered a guarded but pointed message to Ferrari, demanding significant improvements after a dismal performance at the Qatar Grand Prix saw him finish a lowly 12th.
A Weekend to Forget in the Desert
Hamilton's Qatar weekend was effectively over before it truly began. The British driver suffered the ignominy of consecutive Q1 exits in both the Sprint and the main Grand Prix qualifying sessions, leaving him with a mountain to climb on race day.
Come Sunday, a brief early gain was swiftly undone by an ill-timed Safety Car, consigning him to a 12th-place finish. The result marks a fourth consecutive Grand Prix where Hamilton has failed to secure a top-seven position, a stark reflection of Ferrari's alarming decline in form.
Teammate Charles Leclerc fared only marginally better, managing to secure four points after benefitting from retirements for Isack Hadjar and Pierre Gasly. The Scuderia has now been mathematically confirmed to finish fourth in the Constructors' Championship, a bitter pill to swallow for the iconic Italian team.
Hamilton's Cryptic Verdict on Ferrari's Future
Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after the race, Hamilton was circumspect about the team's prospects for a revival, particularly with major new technical regulations looming in 2026.
"It has definitely been the most challenging year, both in and out of the car," Hamilton confessed, reflecting on a difficult debut season with Ferrari.
He revealed that he has compiled extensive feedback for the team, but his response on whether it would be acted upon was tellingly non-committal. "I've got so many notes in terms of things we need to improve on. Time will tell whether or not we act on those things," he stated, adding, "There is no reason why we couldn't fix those if we just put those into action. I'm hopeful that we will make progress."
Leclerc Eager to Turn the Page
The frustration within the Ferrari garage is palpable. Charles Leclerc admitted he is counting down the days until the team can move on from the troublesome SF-25 chassis.
"I'm looking forward to the last race to try to finish on a higher note, because it would be quite depressing to go on holiday with a race like that," the Monegasque driver explained. "I hope we can finish on a more positive note in Abu Dhabi and then look forward to next year's car and forget about this year, which has been a very tough one."
As the F1 circus heads to the season finale in Abu Dhabi, all eyes will be on whether Ferrari can provide a glimmer of hope for its star drivers, or if the team's woes will continue to cast a long shadow into the winter break and beyond.
