Hamilton left frustrated after qualifying at new Madring circuit
MADRID — Lewis Hamilton conceded his team must "work harder" after a tense qualifying session at the new Madring circuit left the seven-time champion just outside the front of the grid for Sunday’s inaugural Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid.
The decisive Q3 session produced a tight result, with Mercedes-powered rivals taking the top positions and Hamilton edged out in the closing moments of qualifying. The Briton had experienced a heavy moment earlier in the day when he crashed in final practice, a mishap that briefly halted running and required repairs to his Ferrari before he returned for qualifying.
Hamilton had set a strong benchmark early in the final runs and at one stage looked on course to end a long pole drought. Instead, he was ultimately beaten by a handful of hundredths of a second and will start the race from a position behind the leading Mercedes-powered cars.
"The only thing to say is nothing. Qualifying was pretty decent and generally it has been feeling good... the only answer is that we have got to work harder," Hamilton said after the session.
Team dynamics and power-unit performance loomed large in Hamilton’s assessment. He suggested that rival teams with Mercedes powerplants were able to find an extra degree of pace for a qualifying lap, leaving Ferrari and its drivers scrambling to close the gap.
Hamilton described the new Madring layout as exciting but demanding, noting the circuit’s narrow, urban character will make overtaking difficult in Sunday’s race. The track features tight corners and substantial kerbs that produced a karting-like feel, combined with sections of banking that have given drivers mixed impressions since the debut weekend.
How Q3 shook out
Qualifying margins were measured in fractions. Lando Norris claimed pole by a slim margin of 0.011 seconds, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli — representing the works Mercedes team — just behind. Max Verstappen slotted into third. Hamilton ended up closely grouped with other front-runners but outside the top two.
| Position | Driver | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lando Norris | — (pole) |
| 2 | Kimi Antonelli | +0.011s |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | +0.049s |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | +0.006s behind Hamilton |
Hamilton’s team had to repair his car after the practice incident, when he ran straight on at the final corner and struck the barriers. The crash prompted a red flag while crews repaired safety barriers and marshals worked on the car. Hamilton initially told engineers over team radio that he could bring the damaged car back to the pits but later stopped trackside for repairs.
What it means for Sunday
With the Madring circuit characterised as a tight, hybrid urban layout that offers few overtaking opportunities, starting position will be at a premium. Hamilton’s narrow miss in qualifying therefore carries extra significance: track position could be decisive in determining the podium order.
Drivers and teams will now focus on race setup and strategy, with an eye to tyre management and timing any overtaking attempts where the narrow lines allow. Hamilton’s frank assessment — that Ferrari must increase its qualifying performance — signals internal pressure as the team seeks to optimise both car and power-unit output for race day.
- Qualifying margins were measured in hundredths of a second, underscoring how close the field is.
- Practice crash forced repairs but did not prevent Hamilton from contesting Q3.
- Madring characteristics make overtaking difficult, raising the stakes on starting positions.
For Hamilton fans who follow the sport from the Ontario city that shares the driver's surname, the tension of the qualifying session and Hamilton’s public call for his team to do more will resonate. On Sunday, the emphasis will be on whether the car, the team and the driver can convert a solid qualifying into a strong race result on a circuit that rewards precision as much as pace.
— Reporting from Madrid for WE NEWS
