Source: Official Team Post via X
Ferrari Fans Disappointed by Hamilton and Leclerc’s Qualifying Struggles at COTA
Ferrari supporters express frustration after Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc falter in qualifying at the United States Grand Prix. Despite strong practice sessions, the team couldn't keep pace with Mercedes and Red Bull.
Ferrari fans aren’t exactly known for their patience, and their latest outcry comes after a disappointing qualifying session at the United States Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc showed promising pace in practice, but when the chips were down, Ferrari couldn't deliver against Mercedes and Red Bull.
The weekend at the Circuit of the Americas started off brightly for Ferrari. Friday saw Charles Leclerc top the timesheets in both FP1 and FP2, and Lewis Hamilton led FP3 on Saturday morning. The Italian team appeared poised to grab their first pole of the season. However, when it came to the final qualifying session, the wheels came off the Ferrari wagon.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes snatched pole position with a time of 1:34.035, leaving Ferrari trailing in his wake. Leclerc managed only a P4 finish with a 1:34.267, while Hamilton came in P6 with a 1:34.613. This left both drivers well behind the pole position time, with Leclerc 0.232 seconds adrift and Hamilton 0.578 seconds slower.
Hamilton voiced his suspicions about the sudden uptick in pace from Mercedes and Red Bull during Q3, suggesting they had found something extra that Ferrari couldn’t match. This sentiment echoed among Ferrari fans, who took to social media to vent their frustrations. "This organization needs to be investigated for scamming," one fan quipped, while another lamented, "It’s the same Ferrari, never delivering when it matters."
The disappointment is not new for Ferrari supporters this season. Both Hamilton and Leclerc have only managed P2 as their best qualifying results, with Hamilton achieving this three times and Leclerc four. Ferrari fans have had enough of seeing their team dominate practice sessions only to falter when it counts.
The discontent was particularly palpable after the clean sweep in practice at COTA, which raised hopes that Ferrari might finally break their qualifying drought. Yet, as one fan put it, "Death, taxes, and Ferrari being a disappointment after being P1 in practice."
As the United States Grand Prix looms, Ferrari will need to find some answers quickly if they hope to convert their practice pace into meaningful results on race day.