Hamilton says Ferrari 'lost something' in Monaco qualifying despite P3

Lewis Hamilton took P3 in Monaco GP qualifying but admitted Ferrari “lost something” after dominating Friday practice. The seven-time champion topped FP2 and entered Saturday as a pole favorite, yet could not match pole-sitter Kimi Antonelli or Max Verstappen as the SF-26 proved drastically different to drive.

Why it matters:

Monaco qualifying often dictates the race winner, and Ferrari's sudden pace drop raises questions about their Sunday potential. Hamilton's third place keeps him in contention on a track where overtaking is nearly impossible, but the swing from Friday favorites to Saturday underperformers signals setup challenges that could hurt their championship push.

The details:

• Hamilton topped FP2 and made Ferrari early favorites for pole, but said the car was “drastically different” in qualifying despite barely touching the setup.
• The seven-time champion finished behind maiden pole-sitter Kimi Antonelli and Max Verstappen, while teammate Charles Leclerc crashed out on his final Q3 lap.
• Hamilton praised Antonelli's milestone but admitted the team was left searching for answers after losing performance from Friday to Saturday.
• Running as close to the barriers as possible, Hamilton said he “loved every second” and gave it everything despite the car not delivering its full potential.

What's next:

Ferrari faces a critical overnight debrief to understand their lost pace before Sunday's race. With Monaco's narrow streets making track position paramount, Hamilton will need a strong start to hold off rivals and protect third. The Scuderia must diagnose the issue quickly as razor-thin margins this season leave little room for repeated operational setbacks.