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- Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc dejected as Ferrari form ‘falls away’ in US GP sprint qualifying
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc dejected as Ferrari form ‘falls away’ in US GP sprint qualifying
The Circuit of The Americas, a track that has witnessed so many moments of Formula 1 glory and heartbreak, served up another brutal dose of reality for the famed Scuderia Ferrari, as both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc cut dejected figures after a sprint qualifying session that saw their promising form evaporate into the Texan air. For Hamilton, an eight-time tenths-of-a-second deficit felt like 'a mountain to climb,' a stark admission from a seven-time world champion who knows the difference between a competitive car and a difficult one, the latter being a description he used to characterize the current Ferrari as 'very, very tough to drive.' This wasn't just a minor setup issue; it was a fundamental performance collapse, a narrative all too familiar for the Tifosi who have watched potential victories slip away like sand through their fingers. The session began with a glimmer of hope, with practice and the initial SQ1 phase showing decent pace, but as the track evolved and the pressure mounted, the car's performance, in Hamilton's own words, 'just started to fall away from us,' a phrase that will send shivers down the spine of the Maranello engineers.His teammate, Charles Leclerc, the Monegasque maestro usually capable of wrenching a qualifying lap from the jaws of mediocrity, could only muster a disheartening tenth on the grid, a position that feels like a lifetime behind the dominant Red Bulls and McLarens. Leclerc’s analysis was even more damning, stating the lack of pace was 'everywhere' and that his final lap in SQ3 was clean, with few regrets—a clear indication that the issue lies not with the driver's right foot but with the raw potential, or lack thereof, of the machine beneath him.The sheer scale of the deficit was highlighted by the sight of both Williams drivers and the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg, who delivered an 'amazing lap' to secure a stunning fourth, comfortably outpacing the two scarlet red cars. This is the kind of result that prompts a deep, introspective look into a team's entire operation, from aerodynamics to power unit deployment, and raises serious questions about their ability to challenge consistently at the very front.One can draw a parallel to FC Barcelona's recent struggles; just as the Blaugrana can look world-beaters one match and utterly lost the next, Ferrari’s performance volatility is becoming a defining, and frustrating, characteristic. The data doesn't lie, and being eight-tenths off the pace, with Verstappen securing yet another pole with an almost metronomic inevitability, is a chasm that cannot be bridged by driver skill alone.Leclerc’s forlorn hope that the team might find a magical fix overnight, while admitting he would be 'very surprised,' speaks volumes about the current mood in the garage. It’s a stark contrast to the bullish confidence of a team like Red Bull, who operate with the relentless efficiency of a Pep Guardiola-led side, systematically dismantling the opposition.For Ferrari, this US GP sprint qualifying is more than just a poor starting position; it's a symptom of a larger challenge in closing the gap to the true pacesetters. The broader context of the 2024 season shows a team often on the cusp of greatness but repeatedly falling short when it matters most, much like a talented football squad that dominates possession but lacks the clinical finishing to win titles. As the sun sets in Austin, the Scuderia faces a long night of analysis and a sprint race that now looks like a desperate battle for minor points, rather than a charge for victory, a narrative that Hamilton and Leclerc, two of the most gifted drivers on the grid, are becoming wearily accustomed to.
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