After a short break, Formula One returned, this time visiting the beautiful Miami. With the weekend including a sprint, the eyes of everyone were turned towards the Ferrari garage. There had only been one sprint in the season, and it was dominated by Lewis Hamilton. Could he repeat the impressive feat?
As soon as the sprint qualifying began, it became clear that it would be hard for the Ferraris to achieve something remarkable. The SF-25 looked much slower than the McLarens and the Mercedes. Both Hamilton and his teammate, Charles Leclerc, tried to squeeze all they could from the car, but it was to no avail. They qualified 6th and 7th.
Still, they were both set to score some much-needed points during the sprint. Unfortunately, Leclerc would never get to begin the short race. He hit the wall on his way to the grid, long before the formation lap could start. The damage done to his car was extensive enough to ensure that he wouldn’t get to participate in the session.
The sprint itself also hit some speed bumps before it could even properly begin. During the formation lap, multiple drivers complained about the lack of visibility, and fountains of water could be seen spraying from underneath their tires. The starting procedure was therefore suspended and the beginning of the race moved to 12:28 local time (a 28-minute delay).
Three laps of racing were eaten up due to the prolonged starting procedures. When the sprint began, Hamilton failed to make up any places, staying in P6.
Hamilton’s race flourished after multiple drivers began reporting that the track was dry enough for slick tires. Even though he wasn’t the first driver to change to slicks, he was the first one out of the top ten to take the risk. While his rivals were fighting their intermediates, he drove out on a fresh set of softs.
It was easy for him to make up the places he had lost during the stop, especially as other drivers followed his lead and began peeling into the pit lane. The decision ended up being a stroke of genius that lifted him from the middle to the pack, all the way to the podium. Despite a less-than-promising start to the day, he achieved his second best result of the season.
The question that many people want to ask is: Was this just a stroke of luck? Ferrari has been struggling since the beginning of the season, rarely ever able to match the pace of its rivals. Leclerc did get a podium in Saudi Arabia, but the pace of the SF-25 on the American track doesn’t seem too promising.
While the team managed to capitalise on a great strategic call, the car was still lacking the pace needed to fight for the win. If Leclerc’s car is fixed in time for qualifying, both he and Hamilton will get a chance to put the Ferrari to the test once again. They should be able to secure two spots in the top 10, but are unlikely to become contenders in the fight for pole. The team’s best hope for a good score might be another great strategic call during the weekend’s main event.
The drivers only get a few hours of rest before the qualifying session begins. The Ferrari mechanics will spend that time working on Leclerc’s car. Can the Monegasque driver turn his luck around? And can Hamilton keep his good performance going throughout the weekend?
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