Hamilton Delighted with Spanish GP Qualifying Result After Practice Struggles

Lewis Hamilton secured fifth position on the grid for the Spanish Grand Prix, a result he expressed significant satisfaction with, particularly given the challenges encountered during practice sessions. The Ferrari driver navigated a tricky Friday and Saturday morning, reporting issues ranging from steering wheel anomalies and a notable 2% loss of front-end downforce in one practice session, to gearbox concerns in the final practice. These problems contrasted with his teammate Charles Leclerc's smoother running, which saw the Monegasque finish third in FP3. Despite the setbacks, both Ferrari cars successfully progressed to the crucial Q3 segment of qualifying. While Leclerc had only one set of fresh soft tyres available for his final attempt, which placed him seventh, Hamilton was able to complete two runs. His second effort proved strong enough to claim fifth place, a significant uplift from his earlier struggles. Hamilton highlighted the P5 grid slot as a positive step, confirming the progress made with the car over recent races, particularly since the start of the current triple-header swing. He described the car's feel in qualifying as good and emphasized his intention to push hard on race day. Looking ahead to Sunday's race, Hamilton acknowledged the tight competition throughout the field, noting that just a few tenths of a second separated drivers within the top ten. He anticipates a challenging but exciting race and has set his sights firmly on achieving a podium finish, an outcome he feels is within reach and something he is determined to secure. The focus now shifts to final preparations overnight, with the team aiming to optimize performance for the race start, where Hamilton will be aiming to convert his promising qualifying pace into a strong result.