Lewis Hamilton's Brazil GP Frustration: 'Another Write-off Weekend'

Lewis Hamilton expressed profound disappointment after a challenging qualifying session at the 2025 Brazilian Grand Prix, finishing a lowly 13th. The Ferrari driver echoed widespread complaints about tire temperatures across the grid and candidly admitted his mental state was "not great" after another difficult outing.

Why it matters:

Hamilton's continued struggles at Ferrari, culminating in repeated frustrating weekends, raise questions about the team's ability to consistently provide a competitive car and optimal race conditions for both drivers. His mental fatigue, openly acknowledged, highlights the immense pressure and the psychological toll of underperformance in Formula 1, especially for a driver of his caliber.

The details:

• Hamilton was eliminated in Q2, while McLaren's Lando Norris secured pole, followed by Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Scuderia teammate Charles Leclerc.
• This early exit was particularly surprising, as Max Verstappen also faced a similar unexpected elimination.
• Tyre Temperature Issues: Hamilton specifically cited tire temperatures as the primary cause for his lack of pace. "The set-up is fine, just couldn't get the tyres working," he stated, attributing the problem to issues in the garage rather than his driving.
• Ferrari's Processes: When asked if this was a recurring issue with Ferrari's processes, Hamilton noted, "I can't remember if it's the same problem as before, it's not the same, I think the execution in terms of the times we got out and everything is fine, it's just the rears are at a place that I can't get to temperature for them to stop that."
• Sprint Race Learnings: The sprint race offered no valuable insights for Sunday's main event, with Hamilton reporting that "you can't overtake." This suggests limited opportunities for significant progress.
• Leclerc's Performance: In contrast, teammate Charles Leclerc finished in the top three, underscoring the performance disparity within the team. Leclerc acknowledged the car's difficulties throughout the weekend but credited perfect execution for his strong qualifying result.

What's next:

Hamilton's expectations for Sunday remain low: "I'm not expecting anything to be honest, but we'll see what happens, it's another write-off weekend I guess." Despite the challenges at Interlagos, which offers limited overtaking opportunities, Ferrari will need to rely on strategy and potential weather changes to salvage points from the midfield. Their objective will be to support Leclerc's fight for a podium finish while trying to extract any possible gains for Hamilton in what he anticipates will be another disheartening race.