Lewis Hamilton lashed out on the state of his automobile and at Ferrari’s technique calls as his proud streak of Silverstone podiums was ended on Sunday.
Hamilton had completed within the prime three in his earlier 12 races at Silverstone, however was pressured to accept a irritating fourth on the 2025 British Grand Prix behind Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri and a jubilant Nico Hulkenberg, who remarkably secured his first ever podium regardless of beginning in P19.
The seven-time world champion suffered from poor technique calls all through a race that was interrupted by rain and a number of other Security Vehicles, however he additionally struggled to deal with a ‘snappy’ automobile which he says he has no confidence in.
“The car was really, really hard to drive,” he complained.
“It just has no stability. So you go to corner, and it’s snapping, snapping, snapping, snapping. It just won’t stay still and that makes it so difficult. And in the low speed, it doesn’t like to turn. It’s a really frustrating balance.”
Hamilton’s struggles noticed him go off the observe on plenty of events as he failed to shut the hole to Hulkenberg within the closing phases.
“It’s the worst feeling,” he added to Sky Sports activities F1.
“When it’s constantly snapping you just have no confidence. The ultimate goal is to try and build up confidence in the car and get faster and faster over time.
“It is like constructing a wall after which knocking it down. When you possibly can’t construct that confidence you are probably not going wherever.
“You’re kind of in no man’s land. That’s how I felt for most of the race.”
‘We misplaced time and locations via technique’
Hamilton’s struggles with the automobile had been compounded by a number of technique calls that noticed him lose observe place.
When rain arrived after 11 laps, Hamilton’s first pit cease noticed him drop from fourth to eighth and he was delayed behind the Haas of Esteban Ocon after which the Alpine of Pierre Gasly for a number of laps.
When Hamilton handed Gasly on lap 29 and Lance Stroll on lap 35, the house followers anticipated him to comfortably reel in Hulkenberg for third, however his workforce known as him in too early for slick tyres and he struggled when he got here out.
Hamilton misplaced round 5 seconds on the primary two corners after the pit cease and Hulkenberg prolonged his benefit on intermediate tyres earlier than stopping one lap later to disclaim Hamilton a thirteenth house podium.
“We lost time and a lot of places through strategy,” Hamilton added.
“I’m not really sure how I was P4 and came out P8. That made life very difficult. I got stuck behind three cars for a long time.
“Then I ended early within the hope of a giant undercut and jeez, it was so tough. This automobile doesn’t like these situations in any respect.
“A big snap and I went wide in Turn Three and it lost me a ton of time. There was lots of mistakes. It was not a good day.”
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Hamilton nearly received previous Lando Norris throughout a dramatic opening lap at Silverstone
‘What we have now is so tough to drive’
Ferrari workforce principal Frederic Vasseur revealed after the race that a number of the choices had been made “blind” as a result of their GPS system had failed after 10 laps and they didn’t know the place Hamilton was on the observe.
It contributed to a irritating end to a weekend that had began filled with promise when Hamilton topped the timesheet in first follow and seemed a real risk to the McLarens.
“I think what’s positive this weekend is that in practice I was right there. I was much more happy with the car balance in the dry. And then in qualifying, we were much, much stronger,” he added.
“I think there’s lot of positives, and also, on a race like this, while it’s not great, you can download a lot.
“I really feel like I understand how to clarify to the workforce what I do not need in-built subsequent yr’s automobile.
“What we have right now makes it so difficult to drive, particularly in these conditions.”
F1 takes a quick break earlier than the season resumes on the Belgian Grand Prix because the Dash format returns, stay on Sky Sports activities F1 on July 25-27. Stream Sky Sports activities with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime.
