Lewis Hamilton faced a challenging opening day at the Dutch Grand Prix on Friday, grappling with an “unpredictable” Ferrari SF-25 that led to two spins during practice.
The seven-time world champion, who ended the day with the sixth-fastest time in FP2, was left frustrated by what he called the car’s “ride quality”, trailing the McLaren of pacesetter Lando Norris by over eight-tenths of a second.
His teammate, Charles Leclerc, also struggled, finishing eighth and labeling his running “probably the worst Friday of the season” for Ferrari.
Spins Highlight Ferrari’s Setup Woes
Hamilton’s difficulties were evident from the outset. In the first practice session, he lost control of his Ferrari approaching Zandvoort’s banked Turn 3, just narrowly avoiding the barriers. The second incident occurred in FP2 at Turn 9, where he ran wide after touching the grass.
“I think the first one was just pushing too much. I think, ultimately, also the ride quality is not where we want it. The car is quite unpredictable,” he said, reflecting on the incidents.
“The second one? I touched the grass, had a snap. That was that. I was pushing which is positive, I guess. But hopefully no more.”
©Ferrari
Despite the setbacks, the Briton remained optimistic about his approach, noting that his aggressive driving showed intent. However, he acknowledged the significant gap to the front-runners.
“Before my spin, I think I was around a tenth up. Then I got another tenth and a half in the final corner,” he said. “I’ve got to make improvements there. We have got work to do with the setup.
“Pace-wise, we are where we are. I don’t know where we’re going to find eight tenths, I really don’t. But we will try.”
Leclerc Calls for a Turnaround
Charles Leclerc echoed Hamilton’s frustrations, describing the day, worryingly, as a low point for Ferrari.
“It was a very, very, very, very difficult Friday. Probably the worst Friday of the season,” said the Monegasque.
©Ferrari
Coming off the summer break, he viewed the struggles as a critical moment for the team to regroup.
“It is right after the holidays, so it’s a wake-up call,” he added. “We have had some difficult Fridays. Now it’s up to us to turn the situation around.
“For sure, it hasn’t been an easy day. FP1 was extremely difficult but FP2 was slightly better, but still far from where we want to be.”
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While Hamilton expressed hope for overnight improvements, his doubts about closing the eight-tenth gap to Norris reflected the scale of the task. Leclerc’s call for a “wake-up” suggests Ferrari will be working hard to refine the SF-25’s setup before Saturday’s qualifying.
With the Dutch Grand Prix weekend progressing, Ferrari’s ability to adapt will determine whether they can climb the order and challenge the leaders.
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