Lewis Hamilton’s difficult debut season with Ferrari took another blow on Friday as he faced a stewards’ investigation following a disappointing sprint qualifying session at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
The seven-time world champion, who could start as low as 11th if penalised, was called before the stewards for allegedly failing to slow under double yellow flags after teammate Charles Leclerc spun late in the session.
The incident ruined Hamilton’s final flying lap, leaving him visibly frustrated as Ferrari once again struggled for pace.
“It’s not for the lack of trying,” Hamilton said. “The team thought we were a lot faster than we are. I gave it everything — we’re just not quick enough.”
Hamilton, still without a podium in 20 races since joining Ferrari, endured another tough day, while Leclerc qualified eighth but was equally downbeat.
“The car felt good, but it was just not fast enough,” Leclerc admitted. “It felt slow.”
