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Leclerc and Hamilton's differing theories behind Ferrari's Austin qualifying disappointment

Ferrari blamed tyre warm-up and straightline speed after losing pace in Q3, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finishing fourth and fifth.

  • At the United States Grand Prix on Sunday, Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton qualified fourth and fifth despite being favorites for pole after dominating all three free practice sessions.
  • Leclerc explained that a slight drop in track temperature between Q2 and Q3 made it difficult to load tires with heat, neutralizing Ferrari's strong cornering performance despite their practice dominance.
  • Hamilton noted a "significant" power deficit to Red Bull and Mercedes on straights, stating, "They're now matching us through the corners, we're not able to take that step in this season to close that speed on the straight."
  • Rejecting weather as an excuse, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur stated, "I think we have to do a better job on the last lap because we had the potential to be at least on the first row."
  • Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli secured pole position for the United States Grand Prix after delivering a strong Q3 effort that outpaced Max Verstappen, capitalizing on Ferrari's qualifying struggles.
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RaceFans broke the news on Saturday, October 24, 2026.
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