Lewis Hamilton says he used Brazil Qualifying as “a test” after further power-unit changes

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

Lewis Hamilton will take the green light for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix from P20 after multiple grid penalties at the Brazilian event, following internal combustion engine and broader power-unit changes. Speaking after Saturday’s wet qualifying run, the Ferrari driver admitted he was essentially “using the Qualifying session as a test,” with his focus on verifying the engine and getting the car to feel right ahead of Sunday’s race.

According to Ferrari’s situation in Brazil, Hamilton started the qualifying period with a 10-place grid penalty, also affecting his teammate Charles Leclerc. That first penalty was tied to both cars receiving an internal combustion engine (ICE) change, which forced both drivers to start from further back when the starting grid was finalized.

The problems continued after Free Practice 3. Hamilton said Ferrari encountered issues during that session, prompting the team to change additional power unit elements ahead of Qualifying. Those further component changes resulted in additional grid penalties for Hamilton, compounding the starting position impact from the earlier ICE swap.

Qualifying itself took place in wet conditions. Hamilton went out in the second part of the session and explained that he intentionally held back running to save tyres for Sunday’s potentially difficult race. He described the conditions as “very, very tricky,” while also saying he enjoyed the limited laps he got in the rain, adding: “I wish I was still out there battling with the guys, but unfortunately, saving the tyres for tomorrow.”

When asked whether a charge through the field from P20 was possible, Hamilton said conditions would be “really tricky” but repeated that the team’s approach was geared toward getting the car ready and managing the race ahead. He said: “I was basically using the Qualifying session as a test in making sure the engine is working and making sure that the car felt good, so I feel good for tomorrow.”

Leclerc’s Saturday was affected by the same grid-penalty situation stemming from power-unit changes. He reached the final part of Qualifying and finished fourth fastest on the timing screens, but that result will be converted into a P14 starting position once his penalty is applied. Leclerc said he had “learnt a huge amount today” during the wet running and expressed optimism about finishing on the podium despite starting further back.

Leclerc pointed to the unpredictable weather as part of the opportunity. “We knew taking an engine penalty here, we knew that everything is to play for still because you’ve got crazy weather all the time,” he said. With rain affecting the weekend already, he added: “hopefully that will give us an opportunity to come back on the podium from where we start.”