HAMILTON NEEDED A “HUGE LEAP” BEFORE CLAIMING FIRST FRONT ROW AT FERRARI

Lewis Hamilton seized a front-row start for the Spanish Grand Prix despite a "tricky weekend," calling his practice performance "never so down." He missed FP1 and often lagged a full second off the pace, half a second adrift of Charles Leclerc. Hamilton admitted he needed a "huge leap" into qualifying. He credited factory upgrades and crucial car adjustments, notably improving rear confidence, for the dramatic turnaround.

Hamilton speculated Leclerc’s Q3 crash stemmed from attempting to carry too much speed into Turn 4, despite both Ferraris running identical setups. Though the SF-24 is competitive, Hamilton noted its "peaky" tires and the struggle to find the perfect balance. His P2 start demonstrates he's extracting maximum performance from the upgraded package, positioning Ferrari for a strong race against Red Bull.