Lewis Hamilton Struggles in Friday Practice at Jeddah Grand Prix

Seven-time Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton is facing an uphill battle to qualify for the top 10 after a difficult Friday practice session at the Jeddah Grand Prix. The British driver finished 13th, six tenths behind teammate Charles Leclerc and over a second behind Lando Norris of McLaren.

Hamilton Struggles with Tyre Performance

Despite there being no cause for alarm after Friday practice, Hamilton admitted that he was struggling to get the tyres working optimally. “I’m just trying to see if I’m getting the top ten at the moment,” he sighed. “Not the greatest.

Hamilton and Leclerc experimented with different set-up directions during the session, gathering data for future adjustments. The Mercedes driver hinted that he might move towards his teammate’s setup overnight. “Possibly,” he mused before disappearing for his debrief with Scuderia.

Leclerc Remains Optimistic

Leclerc, too, was not shy about experimenting with the setup of his SF-25, which features a bespoke rear wing for Jeddah’s long straights. The Monegasque driver remained optimistic, stating that he had learned a lot from the day and hoped to find more performance in qualifying.

Leclerc changed the car significantly during the session, but he felt there was still more performance on the table. “We’ve done a good job by exploring different options,” he said, “and I hope that it will pay off once we get to qualifying.