BREAKING: Ferrari boss makes his feelings crystal clear about Lewis Hamilton’s shaky S… Read more
Ferrari Boss Fred Vasseur Backs Lewis Hamilton Despite Shaky Start at Australian GP
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has expressed his full support for Lewis Hamilton after the seven-time Formula 1 world champion experienced a less-than-ideal start at the Australian Grand Prix. Hamilton, who made the high-profile switch to Ferrari from Mercedes for the 2025 season, is in pursuit of an elusive eighth world title. However, during his first race weekend with the Scuderia, the British driver showed signs of discomfort behind the wheel.
Throughout the first two practice sessions (FP1 and FP2), Hamilton struggled to match the pace of his Ferrari teammate, Charles Leclerc. One of the most noticeable issues was Hamilton’s inability to maintain consistent lap times. He was losing time across different sections of the circuit, an issue that persisted in both practice sessions. By the end of the day, Hamilton’s best lap time, set on soft tires, was approximately four-tenths of a second slower than Leclerc’s quickest effort.
Despite these early challenges, Vasseur was quick to defend his driver, citing that it’s only natural for a driver to take time to adapt after switching teams. Hamilton, who had spent the majority of his Formula 1 career with Mercedes, is still adjusting to the unique characteristics of Ferrari’s car. Furthermore, Leclerc, a proven talent and one of the fastest drivers on the grid, makes it even more evident when Hamilton is lagging behind.
During the team principal press conference, Vasseur reassured the media that there is no need for concern about Hamilton’s performance at this stage. He highlighted how, in the previous season, Carlos Sainz was only placed in P8 or P9 during the practice sessions yet went on to win the race. Vasseur emphasized the importance of the race weekend in revealing a driver’s true performance level, and he remained confident that Hamilton would quickly find his form.
“Nothing compares to the race weekend,” Vasseur said. “We have to go through it, but I’m not worried at all about this. I have absolutely no doubt that Lewis will be able to perform and perform soon. Last year, Carlos was P8 or P9 in free practice, and he won the race. These things happen. It’s all part of the process, and Lewis is one of the best drivers in the world. He will adapt.”
Hamilton Reflects on First Day at Ferrari
In response to his challenging first day, Hamilton remained positive and pragmatic. The seven-time world champion acknowledged that transitioning to Ferrari’s car would take time, but he expressed excitement about the journey ahead. Speaking to the media after Friday’s practice sessions, Hamilton noted the significant differences between Ferrari’s car and the Mercedes machinery he had been used to for so many years. This, according to him, is part of the learning curve, but he felt that progress was being made gradually.
“It’s been a super exciting build-up to this week, and it felt amazing to get out there and be in a Ferrari here,” Hamilton said. “Honestly, the car felt so much different from what I’ve ever experienced coming to this track, so it took a little bit of bedding in through P1. P2 was definitely a little better, but we’re slowly building and getting a little faster bit by bit.”
While Hamilton was ranked within the top five on the timesheet, the performance gap between him and Leclerc was noticeable. Despite this, Hamilton remained focused on improving over the course of the weekend.
Ferrari appears to be competitive at Albert Park, and with Leclerc potentially fighting at the front of the grid, it will be intriguing to see how Hamilton handles the situation if he finds himself unable to make a significant impact. The race weekend will provide the ultimate test of how quickly the seven-time champion can adapt to his new surroundings at Ferrari and whether he can rise to the challenge of competing with Leclerc for race wins.
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