After a disappointing weekend in Australia, Ferrari rediscovered its type in China with a shock pole for Lewis Hamilton. As McLaren problem did not materialise, Hamilton’s efficiency made the distinction for his first pole with the SF-25.
The Shanghai Worldwide Circuit is a really technical monitor as a result of its mixture of corners that particularly check the motive force’s confidence on entry. That is the place Hamilton made the distinction, discovering these essential hundredths of a second to beat his rivals, together with McLaren, who did not capitalize.
There have been key elements, specifically switching from medium to gentle tires with out a lot reference information is rarely simple, and with just one try at a flying lap accessible, the stress to place the whole lot collectively was extremely excessive.
Ferrari and McLaren took two totally different approaches: Ferrari opted for a single run, whereas McLaren selected two.
Though information confirms that Norris might have fought for pole had he not made a mistake at flip 13, choosing two makes an attempt on a single set of tires has its downsides. Realistically, the papaya-colored crew ought to have taken pole, however Hamilton strung collectively a decisive lap.
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Photograph by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Photos
Hamilton pointed to his first sector time as being key to his efficiency and whereas he improved by a few tenth in comparison with his earlier finest, consistent with his rivals, the important thing issue wasn’t simply the uncooked lap time.
On a circuit the place tire administration is essential because of the excessive pressures imposed by Pirelli, which makes overheating a problem, a vital issue was avoiding extreme tire put on within the opening corners — one thing that caught out Charles Leclerc in his last SQ3 try.
Hamilton’s strategy, although, is obvious within the telemetry information: his deceleration part differs from his rivals as a result of, by taking a wider trajectory and being much less aggressive on the tires, he manages to maintain the throttle open for longer. With greater temperatures than in FP1, it grew to become essential to not overwork the entrance tires. Leclerc stayed a lot tighter in an try and cowl fewer meters—a bit the place he had already struggled in 2024. Solely Norris managed to do higher in his last try, however to attain that, he put numerous pressure on the entrance finish.
Equally essential was Hamilton’s efficiency within the center sector, the place he set absolutely the document, with good cornering by way of flip 6 and the 7/8/9 sequence. Telemetry information exhibits that Ferrari, and Hamilton specifically, carried important pace into flip 8 — just like Max Verstappen, with Purple Bull all the time robust in such sections, however faster than McLaren.
These essential information factors reveal a few of the traits that make McLaren’s MCL38 barely extra unstable, because the drivers have identified, regardless of its competitiveness.
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Knowledge additionally exhibits how Hamilton performs with the throttle, delaying and preserving it open longer than different drivers. The third sector, nevertheless, was a unique story. With DRS open, the SF-25 held its personal, shedding simply 1 km/h to Purple Bull however gaining 5 km/h over the McLarens, permitting Hamilton to increase his lead — not less than for a part of the straight.
The second the place it nearly slipped away was within the last nook, the place Hamilton was the slowest, shedding 13 km/h to Piastri and eight km/h to Verstappen. The nook could play a ache level in Hamilton’s weekend and highlights an space the place the seven-time world champion nonetheless wants to enhance.
As seen in Australia, in medium-high-speed corners with sharp turns, Hamilton nonetheless lacks some confidence on entry in comparison with McLaren, Purple Bull, and even his Ferrari teammate, Leclerc.
After qualifying, Hamilton defined that he instantly felt extra snug with the SF-25 in China than in Australia, as he’s beginning to give his personal enter on the setup to tailor the automotive to his wants and unlock its potential — one thing that was solely glimpsed in Melbourne.
The largest problem will probably be over lengthy distances, the place McLaren will nonetheless be probably the most formidable opponent.
Learn Additionally:
On this article
Gianluca D’Alessandro
Components 1
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
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