Hamilton Admits Ferrari 'Have Work to Do' as....read more

Hamilton Admits Ferrari ‘Have Work to Do’ as….read more

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton acknowledged that Ferrari still has improvements to make after finishing sixth on the final day of pre-season testing in Bahrain. Former Mercedes teammate George Russell set the fastest time of the day, narrowly beating Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by just 0.021 seconds.

Russell’s late flying lap, posted just five minutes before the end of the session, put him at the top of the timesheets, demonstrating Mercedes’ potential pace ahead of the new season. Meanwhile, Williams driver Alex Albon impressed with the third-fastest time, ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly.

Hamilton, who switched to Ferrari for the 2025 season, was 0.8 seconds off Russell’s pace. However, he remained cautious about drawing any conclusions from testing results.

Hamilton’s Assessment of Ferrari’s Performance

Speaking before his afternoon session, Hamilton reflected on Ferrari’s progress and the challenges ahead.

“It’s hard to know what fuel loads everyone is running, so you have to take everything with a pinch of salt,” Hamilton said. “McLaren won the constructors’ title last year, so we expect them to be one of the quickest, if not the quickest. Red Bull dominated for many years, and they will be strong again. We’ve definitely got some work to do to improve.”

Despite his measured tone, Hamilton remained optimistic about his first testing experience with Ferrari.

“I feel like we’ve built a really good foundation, but these guys out there look really competitive,” he said. “It looks very close, but this is the most positive feeling I’ve had for a long time.”

However, Ferrari’s day did not go entirely according to plan, as the team ended Hamilton’s running earlier than expected. The decision meant he was unable to complete a full race simulation, leaving some unanswered questions about their long-run pace.

Testing Conditions and Variables

Pre-season testing results are rarely a completely accurate indicator of a team’s true competitiveness due to a variety of factors, including unknown fuel loads, engine modes, and car specifications. Different tire compounds can also significantly impact lap times, and Hamilton’s fastest lap came on a softer tire compound compared to his teammate Charles Leclerc.

Leclerc, who drove in the morning session, finished behind Hamilton on the timesheets. The gap between the two Ferrari drivers was nearly 0.5 seconds, but due to the differences in tire compounds and track conditions, direct comparisons are difficult to make.

The testing conditions also varied significantly throughout the week. Friday was notably warmer and windier than Thursday, making the track slower and more challenging to drive.

Red Bull’s Mixed Performance

Despite Verstappen setting the second-fastest time of the day, Red Bull appeared to be struggling with their car’s handling. The team experimented with different set-ups, including switching between two different front wing designs.

Verstappen, a four-time world champion, had a late spin at Turn One, underscoring some of the challenges Red Bull faced. However, given the team’s history of strong performance, it remains to be seen whether these issues will persist once the season begins.

Encouraging Signs for Mercedes and McLaren

Russell’s pace-setting time highlighted that Mercedes may be in a stronger position than last season, where they struggled to match Red Bull and McLaren consistently. His late lap suggested that Mercedes has made significant progress over the winter break, though their true competitiveness will only become clear in race conditions.

McLaren also showed promise, with Piastri finishing fourth on the final day. The Woking-based team won the 2024 Constructors’ Championship and will likely be a strong contender again in 2025.

Looking Ahead to the Season Opener

With pre-season testing now concluded, teams will shift their focus to the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. While testing times provide hints about team performance, the real pecking order will only become clear once cars hit the track in full race conditions.

For Hamilton and Ferrari, the work is far from over. While the seven-time champion remains positive about his new team’s progress, he acknowledges that there is still development to be done if Ferrari hopes to challenge for the title.

Meanwhile, Mercedes and Red Bull look poised to be strong contenders, and McLaren remains a force to be reckoned with. With just a week to go before the first race of the season, the stage is set for an exciting start to the 2025 Formula 1 campaign.