Hamilton Pushed to Fifth at British Grand Prix Qualifying Amid Understeer Issues
During the qualifying session for the British Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton expressed disappointment over missing out on a potential second-place start, ultimately qualifying fifth, 0.203 seconds behind pole sitter Max Verstappen.
The session saw Hamilton initially outperforming the provisional time set by Oscar Piastri but struggled in the final sector, citing understeer at Turn 16 as the critical moment that cost him valuable time. “I just had understeer at Turn 16 and lost the time that I had,” Hamilton stated. “It probably cost me at least second.”
Despite the setback, Hamilton remains optimistic about the progress of his team, noting improved communication and car setup with his engineer. “I was much happier in the car… I think it was just over a tenth so that definitely would have probably put me on the front row,” he added.
Hamilton acknowledged that the cooler and windier conditions at Silverstone may have impacted Ferrari’s previous competitiveness, although he sees benefits from recent upgrades. “The up and down conditions definitely were challenging… when it got a little cooler, it was definitely maybe not as good for us as it was when it was hotter,” he remarked.
Looking ahead to the race, Hamilton is focused on maximizing performance despite uncertainties about conditions. “I’m not even going to bother thinking about it. Tomorrow will be worse, maybe… I’ll come and attack as much as I can.”
Overall, Hamilton’s comments reflect a mix of frustration and optimism as he and his team continue to seek improvements throughout the weekend.
