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Lewis Hamilton Admits Painful Truth After Spanish GP Qualifying

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Samriddhi Jaiswal | Last updated May 31, 2025 1:25 PM ET

Lewis Hamilton showed flashes of form in Barcelona on Saturday, but it was his post-qualifying honesty that turned heads.

After securing P5 for Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix, the seven-time world champion admitted he’s simply aiming to get back on the podium—a place he hasn’t stood on for what feels like an eternity.

“My goal is to try and get a podium. I’ve not had one for God knows how long,” Hamilton told Sky Sports F1 after qualifying. The Ferrari driver, who last tasted podiums at the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix, has struggled to reach the top three in 2025 amid McLaren dominance and Ferrari struggles.

Hamilton revealed that Friday practice was hampered by a mysterious floor issue. “We had a problem with the floor, so I lost a lot of downforce in FP2 and the balance shifted massively,” he said. But once the team addressed the problem overnight, the car transformed.

“The car was much more drivable, much more enjoyable,” Hamilton said. “We clearly made an improvement in qualifying to get into Q3 and be in the top five. I’m really happy with that.”

Looking ahead to the race, Hamilton expects a tight fight across the midfield. “It will be close between everybody. Half a tenth can put you from sixth to 11th,” he explained. With tire strategy expected to play a pivotal role, Hamilton noted the field is split between soft and medium compound allocations.

️| Lewis: “My goal is to try and get a podium”

LFG Lewis!!!!!!!!! #SpanishGP
pic.twitter.com/ioqzMTE77u
— Hamilton Insights (@LH44_insights) May 31, 2025

Still, his main focus remains clear: get off the line strong, manage the tire game, and finally return to the podium. It’s a goal that sounds modest for a man with 105 wins, but right now, it reflects the raw hunger of a legend desperate to rise again.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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