Lewis Hamilton has criticised the media for what he believes is a negative psychological impact on Ferrari staff during the 2025 season. Hamilton said ongoing negative reporting affects team members at home and contributes to the difficulty of a year in which Ferrari shifted focus to its 2026 car as early as April.

He dismissed the idea that lack of development is the root of Ferrari’s issues, stating he supported the early switch of focus and citing stability and downforce deficits as current challenges. Hamilton described the cars as on the limit due to halted development and noted an element of luck. He added that the overall situation has been tough for mechanics, engineers and factory staff.

Looking ahead to the Qatar GP, Hamilton said he did not expect a significant comeback.

Max Verstappen will start the Qatar Grand Prix from third, behind Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, after McLaren locked out the front row. Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko said he expects an aggressive start to the race and stated that having Verstappen alongside often makes other drivers nervous.

Marko noted overtaking is nearly impossible at Lusail, saying opportunities would mainly come in the first laps, though the expected two-stop race could introduce strategy options. He added that Red Bull resolved the bouncing issues affecting Verstappen’s car by installing an older, undamaged floor and making additional setup changes.

Marko said the improvements reduced the performance gap seen earlier in the weekend and expressed confidence that Verstappen would be more competitive in race trim, particularly on medium and hard tyres.

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