Lewis Hamilton disputes Ferrari strategy during Barcelona qualifying session

Yahoo Sports1 min read • Latest: Jun 13, 2026, 7:27 PM

Last updated Jun 13, 2026

Lewis Hamilton disputes Ferrari strategy during Barcelona qualifying session
Summary

Lewis Hamilton faced challenges throughout his Barcelona weekend, finishing qualifying in P2, just 0.064 seconds behind pole-sitter George Russell. Hamilton, who struggled with car performance and tire degradation, took control of the final lap strategy, opting to use a set of reference tires instead of waiting for new ones, which he deemed unsuitable. His decision was crucial given the high tire degradation seen at the circuit. Charles Leclerc crashed during Q3 and will start from tenth, leaving Hamilton as Ferrari's top contender, albeit behind Mercedes' Russell. The race strategy remains uncertain as teams prepare for at least a two-stop race situation on Sunday.

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By the Numbers
  • Hamilton qualifies second, Russell secures pole position
  • Leclerc ends Q3 in the barriers, starting from tenth
  • Tire strategy debate occurs in Mercedes garage before final run
  • Barcelona shows high tire degradation, impacting lap times
  • Race day features at least a two-stop strategy expected
Latest Updates
  • 7:27 PMYahoo SportsLewis Hamilton Overruled Ferrari Strategy Call in Barcelona Qualifying Debate
What they're saying
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Lewis Hamilton spent most of his Barcelona weekend looking like a man who’d lost his car somewhere between FP2 and FP3. He described it as one of the more difficult weekends. Missing FP1 had a larger knock-on effect than usual,…

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