Hamilton Last in Vegas: A « Horrible » New Low in His « Hardest Year »
For a driver with seven world titles and 103 race wins, starting from the back of the grid is an unfamiliar and unwelcome experience. For Lewis Hamilton, qualifying 20th and last for the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix marked a brutal new low in what he has bluntly described as « definitely the hardest year » of his Formula 1 career. The disastrous wet qualifying session left the Ferrari driver with a « horrible » feeling and facing a monumental challenge in a season that is now poised to be the first in his 18-year career without a single podium finish.
From Optimism to Despair
The cruelest part of Hamilton’s qualifying failure was the stark contrast with his earlier optimism. After a strong final practice session in the dry, the Briton was feeling confident and hopeful.
« Today was feeling amazing in P3. I was really, really excited that finally we’d have a good day, » Hamilton recounted. « I felt like we were quickest, and then you come out of qualifying 20th. »
That swing from potential front-runner to the bottom of the timesheets encapsulated the frustrating nature of his debut season with the Scuderia.
A Cascade of Calamity in Q1
The treacherous wet and cold conditions in Las Vegas created a perfect storm of chaos, and Hamilton was caught in the eye of it. He struggled immensely for grip on the extreme wet tyres, a problem that has plagued Ferrari throughout the season. His session was a cascade of unfortunate events: he hit a bollard which appeared to get stuck under his car, compromising his pace, and his final flying laps were thwarted by yellow flags.
There was further confusion as he backed off after seeing red lights on the gantry, believing his session was over, when the timing screens showed he had crossed the line just in time to start another lap. However, Hamilton himself downplayed the significance of this final point of confusion.
« I didn’t have the grip anyway, » he admitted, « so I don’t think it would have made much difference. »
The fundamental issue was a car that simply could not cope with the conditions, leaving him with poor visibility and no confidence.
« I couldn’t see anything, » he said. « I think I hit a bollard at one point. I just couldn’t even see the corners. »
A Season of Unfulfilled Potential
Qualifying last on pure pace for the first time in his F1 career is a shocking statistic for the sport’s most decorated driver. It serves as a painful symbol of his 2025 campaign, where the potential of the Hamilton-Ferrari partnership has remained largely unfulfilled. While he secured a sprint race win in China, the grand prix podium has remained elusive. This latest disappointment comes after Ferrari chairman John Elkann publicly stated his drivers needed to « focus more and talk less, » a comment Hamilton pushed back on earlier in the week.
Now, facing a start from the very back of the grid, Hamilton is bracing for a difficult race. While he believes Ferrari has « a really good car » in dry conditions, he acknowledged the immense challenge ahead.
« It’ll be really, really hard to come back from 20th, » he conceded.
For a driver accustomed to fighting for victories, the prospect of a grueling fight through the field is a bitter pill to swallow in the hardest year of his career.
Sources
The Athletic. (2025, November 22). Lewis Hamilton qualifies last for Las Vegas Grand Prix as Ferrari struggles continue.
Motorsport.com. (2025, November 22). Lewis Hamilton « feels horrible » as he braces for « really hard » F1 Las Vegas GP recovery drive.
The Race. (2025, November 22). Hamilton’s latest low in his ‘hardest year’ in F1.
Sky Sports. (2025, November 22). Las Vegas GP Qualifying: Lando Norris claims stunning wet-weather pole from Max Verstappen as Lewis Hamilton qualifies last.