‘Not fun’ – Hamilton frustrated by tough Barcelona Friday as he vows Ferrari will ‘keep trying’ to solve issues

Lewis Hamilton endured a challenging opening day at the Spanish Grand Prix, candidly describing Friday practice as "not fun" after a disappointing P11 finish in FP2. The British driver, who showed promising pace in FP1, saw his performance evaporate in the second session, leaving him 0.773 seconds adrift of the fastest time. This continues a season of inconsistent results for Hamilton and Ferrari. "Not a good day," Hamilton stated, acknowledging the frustration. He revealed that the team encountered "some problems, which meant we were losing some downforce," a critical issue they hope to resolve overnight. Despite the setback, he stressed the importance of perseverance: "You just keep your head down and keep working away. You just don't give up." In contrast, teammate Charles Leclerc painted a more optimistic picture, securing P5 in FP2, just half a second off Oscar Piastri's leading time. Leclerc felt the day was "a bit more positive than what we expected," expressing confidence that more performance can be extracted from the car for qualifying. The contrasting fortunes highlight Ferrari's ongoing battle for consistency, setting the stage for a crucial Saturday in Barcelona.