Lewis Hamilton’s turbulent journey with Ferrari took another dark turn at the Spanish Grand Prix, where the seven-time world champion unleashed a searing critique of his own performance and the team’s handling of the race. The British driver, who crossed the finish line in a frustrating sixth place, didn’t hold back when reflecting on what he called a “terrible” outing in Barcelona.
Hamilton had reason to feel optimistic after Saturday’s qualifying session, where he managed to outpace teammate Charles Leclerc for only the second time since joining the Maranello-based squad. The achievement seemed like a much-needed boost for the veteran driver, whose adaptation to the Ferrari machinery has been a challenging endeavor this season.
But whatever hopes Hamilton had of building momentum quickly unraveled once the lights went out on race day.
Despite his strong qualifying, Hamilton found himself on the back foot almost immediately. The Scuderia’s team orders saw him relinquish position to Leclerc early in the race—orders that seemed to underline a lack of confidence in Hamilton’s race pace compared to his Monegasque teammate. While Leclerc charged ahead with stronger lap times and visible control, Hamilton appeared to struggle with grip and balance throughout the race, unable to mount any serious challenge to the frontrunners.
Speaking to reporters after the race, Hamilton’s tone was markedly despondent. “That was just terrible,” he admitted, shaking his head. “There was no pace, no rhythm—I couldn’t do anything out there. I felt like I was fighting the car every lap.”
His words were laced with a mixture of frustration and disbelief. It was a rare moment of raw honesty from a driver who, even in tough times, usually finds a way to stay composed. But in Barcelona, his patience seemed to run out.
The performance gap between Hamilton and Leclerc was stark, and the intra-team dynamics are beginning to raise eyebrows in the paddock. Although Hamilton was given priority on Saturday, Ferrari’s quick decision to reverse the roles during the race sent a clear signal about who the team currently sees as their main contender.
“It’s tough, you know,” Hamilton continued. “You push hard all weekend, you find something in qualifying, and then come Sunday, it just slips away. I didn’t feel connected to the car at all.”
This season has been anything but smooth for Hamilton at Ferrari. Since making the sensational switch from Mercedes—a move that shook the F1 world—Hamilton has been searching for a spark that has yet to ignite. His results have been inconsistent, his confidence visibly shaken at times, and now the tension