Hamilton blames Ferrari setup for fourth in Austin

Lewis Hamilton said a front-wing setup difference left him struggling to turn his Ferrari during the United States Grand Prix, where he finished fourth behind teammate Charles Leclerc, who took second. Ferrari adjusted Hamilton’s front wing during the race, and he said the change improved the car’s balance for the closing stint. Hamilton said he had been unable to match Leclerc’s pace, particularly through low-speed corners, and asked his race engineer to compare the two cars’ setups. He described a difference in the amount of front-wing flap and said the car developed understeer once the race began. Ferrari made an adjustment at a pit stop, after which Hamilton said he felt more competitive. The Briton finished fourth, while Leclerc held second. Hamilton said he believed the revised setup from the start could have put him in contention for a podium, but that assessment was his own. He also credited Ferrari’s pit stops and strategy, and said the team had useful pace in the final stint. The result followed a difficult qualifying session for Ferrari. Leclerc qualified fourth and Hamilton fifth, with Hamilton 0.044 seconds behind his teammate. Both were unable to reproduce the...