Ferrari drivers are at all times the centre of consideration in F1 paddocks around the globe. However the signing of Lewis Hamilton took the Ferrari craze in Melbourne to a different degree eventually weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, with pink tifosi hats competing with the papaya-orange-clad supporters of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris as they witnessed a seven-time world champion gearing up for his debut in pink.
Thursday: “Essentially the most thrilling interval of my life”
The Scuderia had left no stone unturned to correctly orchestrate Hamilton’s welcome in Maranello, and following three days of testing in Bahrain that focus to element was additionally on show with a customized Hamilton brand and welcome message built-in into his steering wheel.
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Picture by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Photographs
Hamilton’s pleasure was clear for all to see when he addressed the media on Thursday, though he was open concerning the adaptation interval he felt he would wish within the vastly totally different automobile after 12 years at Mercedes.
“I include a really open thoughts, coming into this weekend,” he mentioned within the FIA press convention whereas aptly flanked by Carlos Sainz, the person he replaces at Ferrari, and the boy who replaces him at Mercedes in Andrea Kimi Antonelli. “It’s about stepping into a very good rhythm. I’m nonetheless studying this new automobile that’s quite a bit totally different from what I’ve pushed my complete profession. The entire crew works utterly in another way. That is undoubtedly essentially the most thrilling interval of my life. I’m actually having fun with it, and I’m so excited to get within the automobile tomorrow.”
Friday: Rebuilding muscle reminiscence
That adaptation continued at Albert Park on Friday with a “messy” FP1 session, through which Hamilton was six tenths shy of teammate Leclerc, whereas his fifth place in FP2 appeared extra promising.
One problem for the 40-year-old was to know what set-up modifications he might make, because the instruments at his disposal will not be essentially the identical as those he might use at Mercedes. That muscle reminiscence must be rebuilt from scratch once more, which below the time constraints of free observe would not come in a single day.
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Picture by: Ferrari
“I am actually nonetheless getting used to all of the set-up modifications. I haven’t got them on name like I used to have at Mercedes as a result of I had been there on name. I am nonetheless working to know what instruments we are able to use. You may see Charles simply is aware of as a result of he is been there for thus lengthy,” he commented.
All of it sounded smart sufficient, and Hamilton nonetheless appeared very relaxed, however one did not get the impression that he felt the magic was going to occur for him on his first weekend in pink. He appeared centered however resigned to enduring a slower adaption interval than he had in thoughts.
Saturday: Purple love is totally different, however the place did Ferrari’s tempo go?
For all of Hamilton’s tribulations getting dialled in, not less than Ferrari nonetheless appeared aggressive with Leclerc topping FP2. Saturday morning’s FP3 additionally provided the prospect of a tantalising qualifying session, with Ferrari, Purple Bull and Mercedes all in the identical ballpark – albeit behind pre-event favorite McLaren.
However whereas Leclerc and Hamilton have been on the tempo in Q1, they struggled to seek out rather more time over the following two mini-sessions, with Hamilton really slower in Q3 than in Q2 – when he suffered a spin – whereas rivals nonetheless discovered chunks of lap time. The top outcome was sobering, with Leclerc and Hamilton qualifying seventh and eighth respectively, behind the Racing Bulls automobile of Yuki Tsunoda and the Williams of Alex Albon, with Ferrari scratching its head as to why it could not hold evolving with the monitor circumstances and overheated the rear tyres a lot.
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari SF-25, spins
Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photographs
A two-tenth hole to Leclerc prompted Hamilton to say “I believed I used to be additional alongside than I used to be”, however talking to him within the media pen he nonetheless appeared to have loved his first-ever aggressive outing in a Ferrari, and his eyes lit up once we requested him concerning the help he had obtained from the Melburnians, who boast a big Italian neighborhood. The novelty had not worn off simply but.
“It has been wonderful all weekend, the reception, the fan discussion board, the primary paddock membership that I’ve had, and every thing’s been actually the primary all weekend, like first observe one and first qualifying. And seeing all people in pink, the reception we obtained on stage with Charles, it is a lot totally different to what I’ve skilled prior to now.
“Purple love is totally different.”
Sunday: Teething points dent Scuderia debut
On Saturday, Hamilton had made the frank admission that he wasn’t totally throughout the Ferrari’s wet-weather settings but, a remark which foreshadowed a tough debut as he struggled to maintain the automobile on monitor for a lot of the afternoon.
Hamilton was unable to comply with Leclerc via previous Albon and Tsunoda, and whereas chasing the Williams, his lack of chemistry with Carlos Sainz’s former race engineer Riccardo Adami first surfaced on the radio. He politely however curtly requested the Italian to “depart me to it please” and to not repeat directions a lot.
These are simply the extra fascinating soundbites that made it into the published. Listening again to their complete trade all through the race, Hamilton and Adami have been in any other case working collectively simply advantageous for big spells of the competition.
It is a troublesome balancing train for Adami, as a result of on one hand Hamilton genuinely wants extra info, directions and reminders relayed to him in his first few races in a Ferrari than he wanted at Mercedes, however he additionally clearly prefers comms to be tightened up.
“I believe Riccardo did a extremely good job,” Hamilton mentioned as he builds up a brand new relationship following a 12-year affiliation together with his former race engineer Peter Bonnington. “We’re studying about one another, and little by little we’ll undergo all of the feedback. Usually, I am not one which likes a whole lot of info within the race, until I want it, I will ask for it. However he did his greatest right now.
“Inevitably, there is a transition interval, and there’s a basis that must be constructed. Belief isn’t one thing you simply stroll within the door and have—it’s constructed over time.”
What did not assist was Ferrari misjudging the appearance of one other rain bathe, telling Hamilton (and Leclerc) to remain out on slicks – which briefly netted him the lead – as a result of “hopefully” there was no extra rain coming.
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Cheers erupted from the grandstands because the tifosi reached for his or her rain ponchos, however the name quickly turned out to be mistaken because the drizzle intensified. It’s not confidence-inspiring for a crew that has had its strategical robustness questioned prior to now, though if the squad’s gamble had labored out they might have appeared like heroes.
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Picture by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Photographs
Hamilton’s response to his Australian ordeal was sobering however pragmatic. “They mentioned it was only a brief bathe and unexpectedly, extra got here. I believe it was simply missing that bit of data on the finish,” he mentioned. “I’ve discovered an enormous quantity this weekend. I’ve obtained some modifications I am making subsequent week and see the way it goes. However right now was a crash course driving a Ferrari within the rain. It went quite a bit worse than I believed it could go.”
Ferrari could have some homework to do with an inherently good automobile it should unlock extra efficiency from, similar to Hamilton continues to be grinding via the information to unlock extra efficiency from himself.
The honeymoon interval is not over simply but, however what appears clear is {that a} fairy-tale conclusion with an eighth world title will to have to attend.
On this article
Filip Cleeren
Formulation 1
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
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