Source:REUTERS/Jakub Porzycki
[Saba Sports News] In the just-concluded Qatar Grand Prix, Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton failed to finish in the top seven, marking his fourth consecutive race outside the top seven and extending his slump. This series of poor results has further affected the seven-time world champion’s mentality, creating a vicious cycle that harms his on-track performance. At the Las Vegas Grand Prix, he qualified last – the first time in his career he has been last in a pure speed-based qualifying session. After the race, he called it the worst season of his career and expressed little hope for the 2026 season. In Qatar, he was eliminated in Q1 in both qualifying sessions, leaving him so dejected after the race that he gave only brief responses in interviews. This downturn has shattered the high expectations surrounding Hamilton’s partnership with Ferrari. Earlier in the season, he won the Shanghai Sprint, and during the mid-season he was Ferrari’s fastest driver over a single lap in Canada, Spain, and two other races. Such a stark contrast highlights the complexity of integrating a top driver with a top team. Currently, Hamilton has pinned his hopes for a turnaround on the 2026 regulation changes.