Ferrari staff principal Frederic Vasseur is assured they’ve taken the appropriate strategy to assist Lewis Hamilton regulate to his new setting as rapidly as potential.
Hamilton had simply one-and-a-half days of testing within the staff’s new automobile earlier than the primary occasion of the season this weekend. He was unable to drive for them within the post-season take a look at at Yas Marina final 12 months, in contrast to a number of different drivers who modified groups.
Nonetheless Ferrari used the chance to run Hamilton in certainly one of their older chassis, referred to as Testing of Earlier Automobiles below F1’s laws, at the start of the season. Vasseur mentioned that gave him a helpful probability to get used to the staff’s inner processes.
“It’s not [the goal] to be on the restrict on one session, it’s not a matter of velocity,” mentioned Vasseur within the FIA press convention after the primary observe session.
“The goal is for him to know all people within the staff, to find the software program, the method, the system. I’m satisfied that we’ve one thing similar to Mercedes, however on the finish of the day, maybe not with the identical identify, or the identical method to make use of them.
“It’s only a studying course of. We did one or two take a look at days with the TPC one or two months in the past. It was a great way to strategy it however nothing compares to the race weekend. Now we have to undergo and we’ve to do it, however I’m not fearful in any respect about this.”
Hamilton positioned twelfth within the first observe session at Albert Park, six-tenths of a second slower than staff mate Charles Leclerc, however Vasseur mentioned this was no trigger for concern.
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“He’s on this course of, actually, you may’t draw a conclusion after a primary session,” he mentioned. “I’ve completely little doubt that he’ll be capable of carry out and to carry out quickly. Final 12 months I believe that Carlos [Sainz Jnr] was P8 or P9 in free observe and he received the race.”
Hamilton mentioned yesterday he’s nonetheless getting accustomed to the variations between Ferrari’s automobile and the Mercedes he drove final 12 months.
“Becoming a member of a brand new staff, the earlier you may attain a excessive stage and get outcomes, the higher. However inevitably, there’s a transition interval, and there’s a basis that’s wanted to be constructed, […] that’s what we’ve been doing over the previous couple of months.
“The primary half of the season, it’s about that basis. Constructing these relationships, the belief, you’re constructing with completely each everybody within the staff. Belief isn’t one thing you simply stroll within the door and have, it’s constructed over time.
“For me, the aim is to win, in fact, and to take the staff ahead. I’ve had some not-so-spectacular years and I’m making an attempt to see if I can have a greater 12 months than I’ve the final three. There are numerous components that may add to that.”
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