Hamilton Satisfied with P4: Ferrari No Setup Changes

Lewis Hamilton had to settle for fourth place in qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix at the Madring on Sunday. The Ferrari driver briefly topped the times after setting three purple sectors, but late improvements from Lando Norris, Kimi Antonelli, and Max Verstappen dropped him to the second row.

Norris surprised the Madrid crowd by taking pole, beating Antonelli by around three tenths in the closing seconds. Verstappen completed the top three, while Hamilton was seven-hundredths further back. His teammate Charles Leclerc rounded out the top five.

Hamilton's Reaction

When asked if fourth was a good result, Hamilton downplayed expectations. "I think it was okay. Decent session," he said. "Qualifying was generally pretty straightforward. No issues."

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Hamilton confirmed there were no setup changes between Friday and Saturday, unlike Leclerc who reportedly made changes. He credited the team's execution rather than any shortfall in preparation. "I think it was good execution for the team. They did a really great job."

Madring Track Character

Hamilton was positive about the track's character and layout. "It's a pretty cool track to drive," he said, highlighting its "go-kart-esque" sections and "really cool banking."

However, he was reluctant to predict the race. He admitted he hadn't watched the support races (F2 and F3) to gauge overtaking difficulty.

On tyre degradation, an area that could be a factor in Sunday's hot conditions, Hamilton said Ferrari's performance in the heat has been inconsistent throughout the season. "We sometimes go to hot places and our deg is okay, then sometimes it's not. When you go to somewhere like Austria, it's hot and our deg is terrible, then you go to another place — so I really have no idea."

Looking ahead to the race, he seemed relaxed. "I'm going to have fun, that's all I can say. Just going to have real fun, not put too much pressure on it."

Source: Motorsport Week