Lewis Hamilton Faces “Massive Challenge” in Regaining Qualifying Edge at Ferrari, Says Karun Chandhok

Lewis Hamilton, one of Formula 1’s most accomplished qualifiers and a record-holder for pole positions, is set to embark on a new chapter with Ferrari next season. Yet, experts suggest the seven-time world champion will need to overcome a “massive challenge” to recapture his confidence in qualifying, an area where he’s struggled this year.

Hamilton’s single-lap pace has taken a noticeable hit throughout the 2024 season, with the 39-year-old often trailing behind his younger Mercedes teammate, George Russell. In fact, Russell has outqualified Hamilton 20 times this year across both Grands Prix and Sprints, leaving Hamilton with only six instances of a higher grid position. After securing sixth on the grid at Monza in September, Hamilton candidly acknowledged, “Qualifying has become my weakness,” adding that he’s “not very good” at it anymore.

Formula 1 commentator Karun Chandhok believes that restoring Hamilton’s confidence over a single lap will be Ferrari’s toughest task when he joins their lineup in 2025. Speaking with Mirror Sport, the Sky Sports F1 pundit underscored the challenge Hamilton will face when paired against Ferrari’s current ace, Charles Leclerc, whom Chandhok considers the fastest qualifier in the sport.

“It is going to be a massive challenge for him,” Chandhok remarked. “Charles, I have often said, is the best qualifier, fastest over one lap on the current grid, I believe. In 2026, we do not know what the cars are going to be like. Maybe Ferrari are going to be so dominant that you can be three tenths behind and still be on the front row. It could happen.”