Hamilton has finally “figured out” how his Ferrari likes to be driven

After seemingly hitting all-time low morale-wise in qualifying for the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton rebounded by guiding his Ferrari to fifth place from ninth on the grid. Crew-mate Charles Leclerc was fourth after beginning second. For Hamilton, this was arguably the most effective end result potential with out retirements forward. Afterwards, Hamilton was probably the most upbeat he has been since profitable the dash race in China, suggesting he had made a breakthrough in understanding the automobile, and the way he must adapt to get the most effective out of it.

Brake really feel is essential for Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Photograph by: Clive Rose / Getty Photos

“What’s clear is that, as people, we actually get caught in our methods,” Hamilton mentioned to Sky Sports activities F1. “And I really feel like I’ve been driving a automobile with the identical crew for such a very long time… and I’ve transfer to a brand new automobile and it requires such completely different driving fashion and settings.

“I’ve been utilizing engine braking, which I’ve by no means utilized in my earlier years. A lot completely different brakes – we’re on Brembos, I’ve been on CIs [Carbone Industrie] for the previous 15 years or so. “The automobile requires a a lot completely different driving fashion. So I’m adjusting to that, and I believe I’m slowly getting it into my head, and getting the steadiness proper. “What Charles does is he begins with a set-up, and he stays with it just about all weekend, and final week and this weekend I used to be a good distance away from him, then simply earlier than qualifying I received near him however then the settings had been all off. I’ve received to do a greater job by way of the weekend and I’ll.” “I’ve received to make it straightforward for myself – I’m doing it all of the onerous method in the meanwhile. I’ll strive subsequent week to begin in a greater place and never deviate an excessive amount of. As I mentioned, I believe I’ve discovered how the automobile likes to drive so if I apply that subsequent week, if I can qualify higher I’ll have a a lot better weekend. The selection of brake producer would possibly seem to be an abstruse level however, on the level of interface with the motive force, the braking course of is a mixture of muscle reminiscence and really feel. The driving force turns into accustomed not simply to the chew level of the brakes, however the power of the preliminary chew and the development of the braking effort, by way of to the sensations transmitted by way of the pedal that the lock-up level is imminent.

Making the correct technique calls

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Photograph by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Photos

In Bahrain, each Ferraris ran a unique technique to the vast majority of the sphere, beginning on medium-compound tyres whereas remainder of the highest 10 began on used softs. Whereas Leclerc misplaced two positions at first – to George Russell and Lando Norris – Hamilton held on to ninth and shortly handed Carlos Sainz’s Williams for eighth. Though the second Purple Bull of Yuki Tsunoda undercut Hamilton on the first stops, Lewis made his method by inside two laps and nailed a move for place on Yuki’s team-mate Max Verstappen three laps after that. Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Pierre Gasly, who additionally began forward of Hamilton, misplaced out by pitting shortly earlier than the security automobile was deployed on lap 32. Lewis even had a quick cube with Lando Norris after the restart earlier than the McLaren slipped away. Due to Verstappen’s woes Hamilton confronted no critical risk from behind so was in a position to take up extra classes in how the Ferrari must be pushed. However the precedence now could be to discover a method to nail these essential laps in qualifying, since automobile convergence means small time losses can add as much as a big disparity in grid positions.

“You gained’t substitute 12 years of collaboration in two weeks or two races,” mentioned Ferrari crew principal Frederic Vasseur in his post-race media briefing. “For positive we have to enhance however that is true for everyone within the paddock: the DNA of our sport is for everyone to do a greater job. “It’s good to have Lewis with this mindset: ‘I’ve to enhance myself, and to adapt myself to the automobile.’ We are going to adapt the automobile to Lewis however he additionally has to do a step. “Between us, it’s completed in a really optimistic and constructive method. Three or 4 years in the past, in the event you made a mistake and had been 4 or 5 tenths behind your team-mate you possibly misplaced one row, now you lose six or seven positions. “Charles was on the second row however three or 4 hundredths slower and he would have been P6, so now we have to remain calm.”