Lewis Hamilton admitted the Sao Paulo Grand Prix was already “almost over” after finishing 13th in Sunday’s race.
The Ferrari driver was eliminated in the second round of qualifying for the second day in a row at Interlagos. He placed 11th in the sprint and finished 13th in the main event.
Hamilton struggled with rear wheel grip and temperature issues in his Ferrari and finished just a tenth of a second off the top ten.
“The backline wasn’t there the way we did today,” he said. Sky Sports F1.
Asked if the race could be better, Hamilton said: “It’s not where I am. I’ve had quite a bit of a weekend.”
Hamilton, who finished seventh in the previous sprint, added to F1: “The car setup was good, the way we prepared the tyres.
“You can’t do anything there.”
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Highlights of Sao Paulo GP qualifying.
Teammate Charles Leclerc was also struggling for a single-lap performance in the SF-25 until he pulled up from the drop zone to fourth on the final lap of Q2. The Monegasque then took third place in Q3, one place ahead of McLaren’s title rival Oscar Piastri.
Sky Sports F1 Expert Jamie Chadwick said: “Both Ferraris looked like they were struggling and could have been out of Q2, then Charles ended up in P3.
“Then Lewis himself would have been confused.”
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Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton has been eliminated from Q2 of the Sao Paulo GP.
How did Leclerc’s weekend end with him finishing third on the grid?
Ferrari lost second place to Mercedes in the Constructors’ Championship earlier on Saturday after their rivals took second and third in the sprint. Mercedes holds a six-point lead heading into Sunday.
The Silver Arrows start again with Kimi Antonelli on the front row for the Grand Prix, with George Russell sixth, but Leclerc’s third starting spot gave Ferrari a fighting chance of challenging for the podium over the 71-lap distance.
“Everything is so close together that a disaster weekend turns into a really good weekend in a matter of milliseconds,” Leclerc said of the sudden turnaround of an ordinary day at the end of the second quarter.
“I’m glad we were able to put it all together in Q2 and Q3, which is very important for us because everything was pushed to its limits, and we’re happy with P3. It was a tough weekend for us.”
Sky Sports F1 Sao Paulo GP Schedule
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Take a look back at the most dramatic moments from the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Sunday, November 9
3.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday: Sao Paulo GP build-up
5 p.m.: Sao Paulo Grand Prix
7pm: Checkered flag: Sao Paulo GP reaction
8 p.m.: Ted’s Notes
Formula 1’s thrilling title race continues in Brazil with the Sao Paulo Grand Prix on Sunday at 5pm, live on Sky Sports F1 from 3.30pm. Stream Sky Sports NOW – No Commitment, Cancel Anytime
