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Motorsport

Hamilton "just trying to get in the top 10" after muted Saudi F1 practice

Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Charles Leclerc Saudi Arabia

Lewis Hamilton says he will do well to get into Saudi Arabia's Q3 after a low-key Friday in which getting his Ferrari in the optimal window proved challenging.

Hamilton finished 13th in second practice, held at the same time of day as qualifying and the race, shipping six tenths to Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc and 1.1s to the leading McLaren of Lando Norris.

While there is no cause for alarm after Friday practice, Hamilton wasn't overly optimistic on his chances to find a breakthrough over one lap.

"I'm just trying to see if I'm getting the top ten at the moment," he sighed. "Not the greatest, we were struggling to get the tyres working.

"Normally, Saturday goes backwards, but there's not a lot backwards for me to go from where I am. So, hopefully overnight, we'll make some improvements to the car. There were a few bits through the session that felt good, and [when I] get to the soft tyre, it's not there.

"So, we'll make some changes overnight and hope tomorrow we can come back a bit stronger."

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari (Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images)

As has been the case earlier this season Hamilton and Leclerc sampled different set-up directions to gather as much data as possible, with Hamilton considering moving towards his team-mate's set-up overnight.

"Possibly," he mulled over the idea before disappearing for his debrief with the Scuderia. "We'll work together tonight to see, because through both sessions we were trying different things across both cars to then converge; wing settings and all sorts.

"So, I'm hoping we'll have a better understanding after we analyse tonight, and hoping for a better day."

Leclerc also wasn't shy of experimenting with the set-up of his SF-25, which features a bespoke rear wing for Jeddah's long straights, so he felt there was more performance on the table.

"We've done a good job by exploring different options and it's pretty clear in my head what I want to do, so we are going to go into that direction and I hope that it will pay off once we get to qualifying," the Monegasque said.

"We changed the car a lot, but it was a very positive day because I've learned a lot from it. And I think once we put everything in the right window, there should be a bit more performance coming out of the car."

Photos from Saudi Arabian GP - Practice

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing and Raymond Vermeulen, Manager of Max Verstappen

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

George Russell, Mercedes

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Oliver Mintzlaff, Managing director Red Bull GmbH, Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Oliver Mintzlaff, Managing director Red Bull GmbH, Christian Horner, Team Principal Red Bull Racing

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team with Jock Clear, Senior Performance Engineer of Scuderia Ferrari

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Carlos Sainz Sr.

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Alex Albon, Williams

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Carlos Sainz, Williams

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Christian Horner, Team Principal Red Bull Racing

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls, Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Oliver Mintzlaff, Managing director Red Bull GmbH, Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing, Dr. Helmut Marko, Consultant, Red Bull Racing

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Jack Doohan, Alpine

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing, Oliver Mintzlaff, Managing director Red Bull GmbH, Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Jonathan Wheatley, Team Principal, Sauber talks with Mick Doohan

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Zhou Guanyu, Ferrari

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Team

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Lando Norris, McLaren

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Team

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Lando Norris, McLaren

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Carlos Sainz, Williams

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Lando Norris, McLaren

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

George Russell, Mercedes

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Carlos Sainz, Williams

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Carlos Sainz, Williams

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Toto Wolff, Mercedes

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Toto Wolff, Mercedes

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren

2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - Friday

Formula 1

71

In this article

Filip Cleeren

Formula 1

Lewis Hamilton

Ferrari

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