Ferrari's pursuit of qualifying success suffered another significant blow on Saturday in the United States, as both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton ended the day outside of the top three. Heading into the competitive Grand Prix qualifying hour, expectations had been exceptionally high for the squad, yet neither driver was able to translate that momentum into a top-three starting place for the Grand Prix.
The inability to challenge at the absolute front came as a major surprise, particularly because Ferrari had entered the Saturday running widely tipped as the clear favourites to dominate the session. Instead of converting that favoured status into an authoritative result, the team watched their anticipated speed vanish, prompting questions over why their pace evaporated in a display that proved to be night and day different from expectations.
This unexpected setback in the United States prolongs a dry spell that has hovered over the outfit for a considerable period. Ferrari has been enduring an ongoing wait for a Grand Prix pole position, with the team failing to achieve a single pole since August 2025. With Leclerc and Hamilton both unable to break into the top three, that elusive breakthrough once again slipped through their grasp.
Following the outcome in the United States, Ferrari is left to reflect on another missed opportunity to halt their qualifying drought. The continuation of this wait since August 2025 underlines the team's ongoing challenge to turn their status as session favourites into a long-awaited pole position, leaving both Hamilton and Leclerc to contest the Grand Prix from outside the top three.