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Seven-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton has broken his silence about his rocky start with Ferrari, following a debut weekend in Melbourne that fell short of expectations. The British icon, who stunned the motorsport world by swapping Mercedes for the scarlet red cockpit after 12 seasons, arrived at Ferrari with dreams of clinching a record-breaking eighth title. But the Australian Grand Prix proved a baptism by fire.
From tricky testing sessions to a chaotic qualifying round, Hamilton struggled to find rhythm, eventually limping to a 10th-place finish. Fans blamed Ferrari’s strategy—but Hamilton’s post-race reflections hinted at deeper challenges.
Lewis Hamilton’s candid take on his car
Hamilton didn’t mince words when dissecting his Ferrari debut. “I’m grateful to finish, at least I got one point,” he began, before revealing the heart of the struggle: “Overall, not what I was hoping for.” The 39-year-old detailed the steep learning curve of adapting to Ferrari’s SF-24, calling out its unpredictable handling and the flood of real-time adjustments from his team. “There was so much to get accustomed to… the switch settings and changes they were throwing at you [over the radio],” he admitted.
But it was his raw critique of the car’s performance that turned heads.
“The balance of the car… It was really very, very tricky – really, really tricky today,” Lewis Hamilton confessed. Despite flashes of promise—like briefly leading during a rain-soaked Lap 47—the Briton felt the machine’s untapped potential. “I think there’s a lot more in the car than what we were able to extract today,” he mused, hinting at optimism for future races.
The chaotic final laps amplified frustrations. As rain drenched Albert Park, Ferrari’s decision to keep Hamilton on slicks backfired.
“No one told me [the rain] was intensifying elsewhere,” he revealed. “I was faced with it around the rest of the track… A bit of an opportunity missed.” Teammate Charles Leclerc, who finished eighth after his own spin, echoed the sentiment: “It’s not the first race we would have hoped for.”
Why this matters
Lewis Hamilton’s honesty underscores the complexity of switching teams after over a decade. Even legends need time to sync with new engineering philosophies.
Strategy Struggles: Ferrari’s late-rain gamble—a recurring Achilles’ heel—cost both drivers higher finishes, reigniting debates about their tactical agility.
Silver Linings: Hamilton’s belief in the car’s “sweeter spot” suggests room for growth, keeping hope alive for his title bid.
Hamilton’s Ferrari chapter is more than a career pivot—it’s a litmus test for both driver and team. Can the Scuderia refine its strategy and car setup to match his precision? For Lewis Hamilton, Melbourne was a reality check, but his resolve remains unshaken. As he put it: “We can improve… get the car in a sweeter spot.” For Ferrari fans, the wait for redemption begins in Shanghai.
