Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari/5th): “A small problem costs you a lot”

That’s how fast things change in Formula 1: at the Spanish Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton was the fastest man on the track in his Ferrari, yet in the second practice session for the Austrian Grand Prix, the seven-time world champion found himself in fifth place.

Ferrari is currently only the fourth-fastest team, as Hamilton – a 106-time Grand Prix winner – has to settle for a place behind Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) and the two McLarens driven by Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, and he is also slower than Max Verstappen in the Red Bull Racing-Ford, even though the Dutchman is not at all happy with his car.

There’s no doubt about it: Ferrari has a lot of work to do ahead of Saturday, but Hamilton, currently second in the World Championship, firmly believes that Friday’s problems can be sorted out.

The 41-year-old Englishman says: “I’d say it was a solid but challenging start to the weekend, with the high temperatures making an already demanding track even more difficult.”

“The car felt quite positive right from the start, but this track is pretty unforgiving, so even a small balance issue costs a lot of lap time.”

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“We definitely still have some work to do to find the right set-up and balance and unlock some performance. It’s about staying focused, understanding where we’re losing time, and seeing what we can do ahead of tomorrow.”