Lewis Hamilton says he has spent the early a part of Method 1’s 2025 Australian Grand Prix adjusting his driving fashion to go well with the necessities of the Ferrari automotive package deal he’s at present exploring.
Within the different SF-25, Charles Leclerc ended the opening day in Melbourne on the head of the instances, but additionally with a giant 0.42s hole to Hamilton in FP2, with the Briton having been adrift by 0.6s in FP1 (topped by McLaren’s Lando Norris).
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Chatting with F1 TV post-FP2, Hamilton stated his first day driving for Ferrari on an official F1 race weekend had “felt wonderful to get on the market and be in a Ferrari right here” after a “tremendous thrilling build-up to this week”.
“Actually, the automotive felt a lot totally different to what I’ve ever skilled coming to this monitor,” he added. “So, it took a bit of little bit of bedding in by FP1.
“FP2 is unquestionably a bit of higher however simply constructing. However we’re slowly constructing and getting a bit of bit quicker little by little.”
When ask to make clear what he meant about variations within the SF-25 he was feeling from the Mercedes package deal he used till 2024’s finish, Hamilton stated: “Simply totally different. Only a lot totally different.
“However the automotive would not really feel unhealthy or something. It simply requires a special method of driving. So, [I’m] adjusting my driving fashion little by little, however having fun with driving.”
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Picture by: Ferrari
Hamilton’s driving fashion has beforehand consisted of two vital parts.
One was sustaining braking stability when hitting the pedal very late that meant holding a automotive on the sting of under-rotation on nook entry, whereas he additionally places in loads of vitality by the entrance tyres by way of many tiny actions as a flip progresses – all of which mixes to depart the automotive shifting round significantly on the rear finish.
Traditionally, Hamilton had been capable of dwell with this rear motion and keep excessive cornering velocity in consequence.
He had stated on the finish of Bahrain pre-season testing that there was “fairly a bit to return” when it comes to his adaptation course of from Mercedes to Ferrari, which seems to be persevering with.
Leclerc, in the meantime, makes use of a two-stage strategy in his driving fashion than may be described as ‘little flip, large flip’ – particularly in medium- and lower-speed corners – that helps to cut back understeer.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Pictures
This additionally helps with braking enter through the closing phases of nook strategy, however his fashion on the wheel is general a lot smoother than Hamilton’s.
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“Actually, we did good preparation work as a result of the sensation with the automotive was good,” Leclerc stated of his and Ferrari’s work in Melbourne on Friday.
“There’s clearly issues that we have to enhance as all the time and I am not very proud of the stability but, however we’re in a significantly better place in comparison with Bahrain testing. There’s nonetheless some efficiency to search out, however that is the identical for everyone within the paddock.
“These automobiles are fairly new for everybody. So you have to push it to know the place precisely the restrict is. However it’s been a strong first day. Now we have to attend and see the way it goes tomorrow once we push a bit extra.”
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On this article
Alex Kalinauckas
Method 1
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
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