Ferrari slump deepens in Austin as Leclerc and Hamilton 'seem defeated’

16:33, 18 Oct 2025

byTobia Elia

Sky Sports’ Danica Patrick believes both Ferrari drivers “seem defeated” after yet another disappointing result for the team in Austin.

“They both seem defeated. You can tell that in both of their interviews”

- Danica Patrick

Reflecting on Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton’s disappointing eighth and tenth place finishes in Friday’s Sprint Qualifying, the former American driver told Sky Sports that both Ferrari drivers “seem defeated.”

“You can tell that in both of their interviews. It’s total frustration and almost like, ‘Argh, let’s just get this year over with’,” she added.

“Lewis especially, when you have a change like he had to go from Mercedes to a team where you think you’re going to go better, a lot of times that change can spark something. It’s just been such a disappointment.

Lewis Hamilton after sprint qualifying in Austin - Photo: Race Pictures

Patrick believes both drivers can’t wait to put this season behind them and start fresh next year, with a completely clean slate under the new regulations.

“I’m sure that they’re going to really welcome the off-season this year. They’re going to have to go back to the drawing board and try something completely new.”

Hamilton and Leclerc deflated by Ferrari's 'disappearing pace'

If the first half of the season had already fallen short of expectations, Ferrari’s performance has completely collapsed since returning from the summer break, scoring the fewest points among the top teams.

In Baku, the Maranello outfit lost second place in the Constructors’ standings to Mercedes, who further strengthened their hold on the position thanks to George Russell’s win in Singapore.

Ferrari now even risks losing third to a resurgent Red Bull, who have become highly competitive again following their latest updates.

Here’s how both Ferrari drivers reacted to their disappointing result in Sprint Qualifying.

GPblog's latest F1 Paddock Update

Want to stay up-to-date with what happens in the F1 paddock? Then GPblog's F1 Paddock Update video is the perfect way to do it. Subscribe to GPblog's YouTube channel and turn on notifications to never miss the latest episodes.