Sun Apr 06 05:40:00 UTC 2025: ## Hamilton Lacks Pace, Starts 8th in Japan GP Qualifying; Sainz Penalized
**Suzuka, Japan** – Lewis Hamilton admitted disappointment after qualifying eighth for the Japanese Grand Prix, significantly behind his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc who secured fourth place. Hamilton blamed his performance, stating his qualifying laps weren’t good enough despite making it to Q3.
The seven-time champion’s qualifying was further hampered by an incident in Q2 where he impeded Carlos Sainz, forcing the Ferrari driver off the track. Sainz received a three-place grid penalty, dropping him to 15th.
Hamilton’s performance comes after a mixed start to his Ferrari tenure, including a sprint race win in China followed by disqualification from the main race due to an illegal plank wear issue. To avoid a repeat, Hamilton confirmed the team is running his car higher than ideal in Japan, sacrificing some potential pace. He attributed some of the understeer issues to differing setup choices compared to Leclerc.
Despite the disappointing qualifying result, Hamilton expressed optimism about the forecast rain for the race, hoping it will improve his chances of moving up the field. “I’m excited, I generally love the rain,” he said. The race is set to take place on Sunday.
First Piper 