F1: "I gave it my all, but we weren't fast enough," says Hamilton after qualifying for the sprint.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton experienced a frustrating Friday at Interlagos. The Briton finished only 11th in the Sprint Qualifying for the São Paulo Grand Prix, failing to reach the final phase (SQ3) and later acknowledging that "things aren't going well" at this stage of the season.

During the session, Hamilton struggled to find his rhythm with his Ferrari SF-25, while the Italian team also showed a lack of speed compared to its rivals. The driver was further hampered by a double yellow flag caused by Charles Leclerc spinning at Turn 10, which interrupted the fast laps of several competitors.

Hamilton failed to cross the finish line in time to begin a new attempt and was eliminated in P11. After the session, it was announced that he would be investigated for possible yellow flag infringement, and he subsequently received an official reprimand for not slowing down sufficiently.

“The yellow flags certainly didn’t help, but… oh dear! It wasn’t for lack of trying,” said the Briton. “The team thought we would be faster than we actually were. I gave it my all, and that’s what matters most. We simply weren’t fast enough.”

After a series of good performances and increasing adaptation to Ferrari, Hamilton acknowledged that the result in São Paulo was disappointing, but assured that he remains committed.

"It's hard to say things are improving when you're out in SQ2, but we're working hard. There's not much more I can do. It is what it is," he stated.

Interlagos, the stage for memorable moments in Hamilton's career — such as his historic comeback in 2021, when he started from the back of the grid and finished fifth in the Sprint race — once again presents a challenge. This time, however, the 40-year-old driver adopts a lighter tone for Saturday, amidst a forecast of rain for the short race.

“I’m in 11th place right now, so I just need to have fun from there,” he said. “I think, at this point, it’s literally about having fun. Things aren’t going well on my side, not this year either, so I have to enjoy what comes. That’s all I can do.”

Friday was also difficult for Charles Leclerc, who went off track in SQ2, but still managed to advance into the top 10 and finished eighth.

“The car was very slow today,” assessed the Monegasque driver. “It didn’t seem so bad to drive, but we are slow, so we need to work and try to improve for tomorrow. My first lap in SQ3 was good, but I had a gear change problem on the final straight and lost about a tenth and a half. Maybe I could have finished P7, but it’s been a complicated weekend.”