Jenson Button thinks Lewis Hamilton lost ‘focus’ after forgetting one rule at Las Vegas Grand Prix

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Lewis Hamilton finished qualifying for the 2025 Las Vegas GP in P20, which makes him the first Ferrari driver to qualify last for a Grand Prix since Giancarlo Fisichella in 2009.

The 40-year-old will even start a Grand Prix from the back of the pack for the first time since 2017 on Sunday. Yet unlike when Hamilton qualified P20 for the 2017 Brazilian Grand Prix as he did not set a time, he completed a 1:57.115 lap time during Q1 at the 2025 Las Vegas GP.

Hamilton was the slowest driver in the field by 0.317 seconds to Red Bull racer Yuki Tsunoda during Q1 at the Las Vegas GP this Saturday. The Ferrari pilot was even 3.971s off the overall best Q1 time that his ex-Mercedes teammate, George Russell, set to top the opening phase.

Charles Leclerc in the sister Ferrari SF-25 ended Q1 in P9 after setting a lap time of 1:54.814. The Monegasque also went on to qualify P9 with a 1:49.872 in Q3 after the treacherous wet conditions during qualifying for the Las Vegas GP improved from the worst of the rain in Q1.

Jenson Button thinks Lewis Hamilton forgot where the timing line is during qualifying in Las Vegas

Hamilton’s radio was a hive of confusion during qualifying for the Las Vegas GP, as he did not know whether or not he had crossed the finish line in time to attempt one more flying lap in Q1. The seven-time champion hit the timing line within a split second of the chequered flag.

READ MORE: Everything to know about the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, including past winners

Confusion reigned as Hamilton saw the red lights above the start line illuminate, as the grid and the finish line are not at the same point. Jenson Button feels Hamilton aborting his final flying lap thinking the session was over was a sign that he was not aware of the difference.

Button said on Sky Sports F1 (22/11, 05:40): “[If in doubt], keep going until they tell you to slow down. I guess you should know every regulation. It’s really tricky, though, if you see red lights flick on in front of you, you think it’s over. But the timing line is, obviously, before that.

“And he knows that, because he gets the time on the dash for the previous lap time. But when it’s that tricky out there, there’s so much going on, he’s probably kind of happy it’s over in a way.

“But he’s lost focus on what is correct for starting the next lap. [Ferrari] don’t know that he doesn’t know the timing line is different from the red light gantry.”

Anthony Davidson doubts Lewis Hamilton would have reached Q2 with another flying lap

Anthony Davidson also found it “interesting” that Ferrari did not inform Hamilton before he aborted his final flying lap that he had crossed the finish line with enough time to complete a run during qualifying for the Las Vegas GP, given the timing screen showed he was fine to.

READ MORE: Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton’s life outside F1 from net worth to family

But even if Ferrari had informed Hamilton that he could go again, Davidson doubts that the record 104-time F1 polesitter would have advanced to Q2. Hamilton never showed enough speed during qualifying for the Las Vegas GP to believe that he had more pace in his pocket.

Davidson said: “When he gets to the timing line, 100% it is good to go, it’s good to send it and do another lap. But as soon as he passes that line, it immediately goes red.

“So, it’s very hard to judge, obviously at the speeds you’re doing inside the car. But he did cross the line to open up a lap before the red lights came on. And I wonder if he’s looking at the start line, instead of the finish line. The finish line is the timing line.

“I’m not sure he would have had the speed anyway to get through. But it was clearly very close for Lewis inside the car to judge whether it was good to send it again on another lap.

“[You] saw on the timing screens that he was safe. And somehow Lewis was unarmed with that information. An interesting one, for me. I feel, personally, he missed a valid push lap.”