Sky Sports F1 analyst Karun Chandhok expressed to the media that he believes Lewis Hamilton will encounter significant difficulties in regaining his qualifying prowess when competing against Charles Leclerc at Ferrari.
Hamilton is confronted with “a substantial challenge” in restoring his diminished confidence in qualifying, even as he embarks on this new chapter with Ferrari.
The seven-time F1 champion ranks among the top qualifiers in the sport’s history and has the record for the highest number of pole positions achieved. However, this season he has faced difficulties with one-lap speed and has been thoroughly outperformed by Mercedes teammate George Russell.
In 2024, the younger Brit has outperformed his fellow countryman in qualifying 20 times during Grands Prix and Sprints, whereas Hamilton has achieved a better grid position than Russell only six times. At Monza in September, having qualified sixth, the 39-year-old stated that qualifying has turned into his “weakness” and asserted he is “not very good” at it.
For Karun Chandhok, regaining that confidence in just one lap will be Ferrari’s greatest hurdle when the Brit joins the team next year. The Sky Sports F1 analyst shared with Mirror Sport that he thinks it will be even more challenging for Hamilton, especially when facing what he considers the top qualifier in the sport.
Chandhok remarked, “This is going to be a huge test for him. I’ve often said that Charles is the best qualifier and the fastest over a single lap on the current grid. By 2026, we can’t predict how the cars will perform. It’s possible that Ferrari could be so dominant that being three tenths behind might still land you on the front row. That could very well happen.”
“However, for ‘25, I believe Lewis and Ferrari will need to exert considerable effort to regain their qualifying performance and restore that confidence for him.” He must definitely search thoroughly to uncover the answer.
Hamilton will celebrate his 40th birthday in January and will debut for Ferrari over two months later when the season kicks off with the Australian Grand Prix. Chandhok thinks that prior to that, the Italians are making the correct choice by utilizing their Fiorano test track and putting their new star into action well ahead of his next competitive qualifying run.
He stated that if he were in Ferrari’s position, he would arrange for the driver to conduct extensive testing with a two-year-old vehicle throughout January and February. This would serve to strengthen the relationship between the driver and the team. Ferrari is fortunate to possess substantial financial resources and owns two racetracks, allowing them to conduct testing as needed in a private setting, free from external pressures, and to implement any desired testing program.
There is a driver who is currently lacking confidence; however, he has not lost his driving skills, as evidenced by his performances at Silverstone and Spa, where his talent was still apparent. It is essential to find methods to restore his confidence, and the most effective approach would be to remove him from the high-pressure public environment. Engaging in private test days would enable him to experiment and accumulate laps, ultimately helping him regain his comfort behind the wheel.
“It is a fresh team, different individuals, a new setting, his initial experience outside the British team.” Simply aim to place him in a comfort zone with those around him, so that when you then drop him into the qualifying situation in Melbourne, everything feels a bit more effortless.
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