Once the most feared driver in F1 qualifying sessions, Lewis Hamilton’s one-lap pace took a massive hit in 2024 as his Mercedes teammate, George Russell, consistently outperformed him. Hamilton lost 19-5 in the Grand Prix qualifying head-to-head last season, sparking concerns about his form ahead of his Ferrari move.
Even some of his most vocal supporters, including Nico Rosberg, have commented on his struggles. Rosberg expressed concern that, despite Hamilton’s strong race pace, his qualifying performances could make his upcoming Ferrari stint challenging.
“He is at a place where he’s saying to himself, ‘I’m not fast anymore’, and that’s really singled out to qualifying,” the 2016 World Champion said on the Sky Sports F1 podcast.
David Croft, however, feels optimistic. He thinks that the seven-time World Champion will get back to his best.
At the annual Autosport Awards, Crofty was asked which driver he would choose for a last-minute qualifying lap to save his life. The veteran F1 commentator had no hesitation in picking Hamilton. “It’s got to be the man who’s got more poles than anyone else, right? It’s got to be Lewis Hamilton.”
“ITS GOT TO BE LEWIS HAMILTON”
Q : If there was any driver that you could choose, past or present, to put in a last minute qualifying lap to save your life, who would you choose?
David Croft : Last minute qualifying lap to save my life? It’s got to be the man who’s got more… pic.twitter.com/MRSqlPZkQm
— sim (@sim3744) February 6, 2025
Croft revealed that he has been the lead commentator, calling each one of Hamilton’s 104 pole positions. He knows the Briton’s abilities firsthand and believes they haven’t disappeared despite a few difficult months with Mercedes. “I’ve seen him do some last-lap wonders over the years. So yeah, Lewis.”
Hamilton’s last pole position came at the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix, which was one of those last-lap wonders that Croft pointed out. Despite Red Bull being the dominant benchmark of the field, the Briton was able to eke out a pole lap in the dying embers of Q3, to beat Max Verstappen to P1 by only 0.003 seconds — that too, in a troublesome Mercedes W14!
To get back to this elite form and sustain it over a season, Hamilton will have to put in a lot of effort in 2025. That’s because he will be up against Charles Leclerc at Ferrari, who is also one of the best qualifiers on the grid.
Hamilton’s battle against Leclerc
Both Hamilton and Leclerc want Ferrari to succeed and have spoken about ending the team’s 17-year title drought together.
However, personal glory will also be on their minds. Before leading Ferrari to victory, both will be eager to chase individual success. With the Scuderia expected to be competitive enough to fight for the championship, both drivers will have their sights set on the Drivers’ title.
That battle will start in qualifying — where Hamilton may find himself at a disadvantage due to his recent struggles. To stay close to the Monegasque and outperform him in races, he will need to improve his one-lap pace.
In a 2024 interview, Hamilton sounded unsure about his qualifying form. “I don’t have an answer for you. It’s not been great, and at this point, I really don’t care.”
But that was when his confidence was low. With a rejuvenated mindset and a better car, his fortunes could surely change.
