Hamilton Faces Learning Curve with Ferrari’s Wet Switches

Hamilton Faces Learning Curve with Ferrari’s Wet Switches as Rain Looms Over Melbourne

Seven-Time Champion Adapting to New Machinery Ahead of Potentially Wet Race

Lewis Hamilton is set for a challenging Australian Grand Prix as he continues to familiarize himself with Ferrari’s intricacies, particularly in wet conditions. The seven-time world champion, who joined Ferrari for the 2025 season after spending over a decade with Mercedes, admitted he has yet to gain full confidence in his new car’s controls. With rain in the forecast for Sunday’s race at Albert Park, Hamilton acknowledged that he is still learning how to operate Ferrari’s wet-weather settings, adding an extra layer of difficulty to his adaptation process.

Unfamiliar Territory for Hamilton in the Wet

Despite his extensive experience in Formula 1, Hamilton faces an uphill battle if the rain arrives, as he has yet to drive his Ferrari in wet conditions. During Saturday’s post-qualifying interviews, Hamilton was candid about his unfamiliarity with the car’s wet switches.

“Frickin’ hell, I’ve never driven this car in the wet,” Hamilton admitted. “I don’t know which buttons I’m going to switch to tomorrow, so that’s going to be new.”

While adapting to a new car is already a daunting task, adjusting to wet-weather driving in a machine he has only raced a handful of times adds another challenge. He qualified eighth, behind his teammate Charles Leclerc, and acknowledged that he is still getting up to speed with Ferrari’s systems.

Hamilton highlighted a key difference between his current and former teams: Ferrari’s use of Brembo brakes. Having used a different braking system at Mercedes for over a decade, the Briton is unsure how the Brembos will behave in wet conditions.

“We’re using Brembos, which I’ve not used for a long, long time,” he explained. “So I don’t know how they behave in the wet, or what settings we’re going to have to use with this car.”

With a 70% chance of rain expected at midday on Sunday, Hamilton recognizes the potential opportunity that wet conditions could present.

“When you qualify eighth, you kind of hope for it to be wet,” he admitted. “But I’ve only got three laps to learn the car in the wet and then get out [for the race]. It’s going to be a shock to the system, but I’m going to be learning on the fly and just giving it everything.”

A Slow and Steady Process of Gaining Confidence

Hamilton’s transition to Ferrari has been anything but seamless, as he continues to adjust to the car’s handling characteristics and onboard tools. The Briton noted that finding confidence in the SF-25 has been a gradual process, made more difficult by his unfamiliarity with Ferrari’s engineering setup.

“When you have a problem with the car and you come in, normally when you’ve got the experience, you can say, ‘OK, this is where I want to go with it,’” he said. “But I don’t know which tool to use at the moment. So I’m heavily relying for the first time on my engineers, and they’ve done a great job.”

Unlike in his Mercedes years, where he knew the ins and outs of the car’s setup and could make quick adjustments, Hamilton is currently in uncharted territory with Ferrari.

“There’s a ton of tools that I’m still popping out like, ‘I’ve never tried that, what does it do?’” he revealed. “It’s just going to take some time.”

One of the biggest differences Hamilton has noted between the Ferrari and his previous Mercedes cars is the overall balance, particularly in braking and through-corner handling.

“The braking and through-corner balance is a lot different to what I had [at Mercedes],” he explained. “The mechanical balance shift is much, much different… and the high-speed balance, the low-speed balance is quite a shift.”

What to Expect on Race Day

If the rain arrives on Sunday, Hamilton will have to adapt quickly to the Ferrari’s wet-weather handling. His ability to learn on the fly could be the key to a strong performance, especially if changing track conditions create opportunities for strategic gains.

One advantage Hamilton has is his extensive experience in wet races. Over the years, he has delivered some of his most iconic performances in challenging conditions, such as his masterclass at Silverstone in 2008 and his dominant wet-weather win in Turkey in 2020.

However, with only three laps in wet conditions before the race starts, he will have limited time to adjust. This, combined with his unfamiliarity with Ferrari’s controls, could make for a tough afternoon.

Still, Hamilton remains focused on making the most of the situation. His comments suggest he is prepared for the challenge, even if he knows it won’t be easy.

“It’s going to be a learning experience, but I’m here to give it my all,” he said. “Every lap I do, I’m learning something new, and I know I’ll get there eventually.”

As the race approaches, all eyes will be on Hamilton to see how he handles Ferrari’s machinery in unpredictable conditions. If anyone has the ability to rise to the occasion, it’s a seven-time world champion determined to prove himself in his new chapter with Ferrari.