Lewis Hamilton finished qualifying for the Formula 1 Monaco GP in third position, but left Saturday’s (6) session with the feeling that Ferrari was unable to repeat the performance shown in practice. The Briton highlighted that the team seemed strong in preparation for the pole fight, but found a different car behavior at the decisive moment.
Read more F1: Antonelli secures pole in Monaco after duel with Verstappen; Bortoleto crashed
After leading FP2, Ferrari was pointed out as one of the favorites to start at the front. However, the battle proved to be more balanced on Saturday, with Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen emerging as strong contenders. In the end, Hamilton finished behind the two rivals, while his teammate, Charles Leclerc, ended the session after touching the wall on his last attempt in Q3.
Immediately after qualifying, Hamilton made a point of congratulating Antonelli on securing pole position. “Congratulations to Kimi. An incredible job. Getting your first pole here is something very special,” said the seven-time champion.
Read more F1: Bortoleto crashes in Q1 and starts 16th in Monaco GP
“It was difficult for us. We looked very strong in practice and practically didn’t change anything on the car, but for some reason it was drastically different when we got to qualifying. We need to investigate this deeply,” he highlighted.
Despite the frustration of not getting pole, Hamilton valued the opportunity to compete for fast laps on the streets of Monaco and praised the grid’s balance. “I gave absolutely everything. I got as close to the walls as possible. It’s a privilege to be here and be one of the 22 Formula 1 drivers who can do this. I love every second,” he said. The Briton also emphasized that the battle was extremely tight: “I thought we could get it, but then Max did a good lap and then Kimi also. It’s great to see how close all the cars are. I think we lost something from yesterday to today and we need to find out what it was.”
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