Lewis Hamilton has only scored 25 points across his first four Grand Prix weekends as a Ferrari driver. His victory in the China Sprint accounts for nearly a third of those.
Hamilton has still scored more points than he had at the same stage of last season. But it’s only the second time in his career (after 2024) that he’s failed to post a top-four finish at this stage.
His results broadly reflect Ferrari’s performance levels, with Charles Leclerc only seven points ahead. Both drivers were disqualified from the Chinese GP for separate technical breaches.
But Hamilton said he felt reinvigorated over the winter, and in reality, it looks like a continuation of his final year at Mercedes. He’s visibly uncomfortable in the car – a reading supported by his radio messages and interviews – and still off the pace over a single lap.
Damon Hill concerned by Lewis Hamilton’s ‘alien’ admission at Ferrari
Speaking after the race in Bahrain, Hamilton admitted that driving the Ferrari felt ‘so alien’ to him. He cited braking as one of the main differences – the Scuderia use a different supplier and slow the car down in a different way.
Sportskeeda shared these comments on Instagram, and 1996 world champion Damon Hill responded on his story. The concerned pundit wrote ‘what’s going on here?’.
Hamilton’s fine pole and victory in the shorter format in China seemed to be a launchpad for his Ferrari career. But the races since have served as a reality check.
Importantly, the 40-year-old sounds committed to adapting his driving style, rather than stubbornly sticking to his own techniques. But that won’t be easy, and it could take a disappointingly long time.
Lewis Hamilton’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix radio shows he’s pushing too hard
Bernie Collins says Hamilton needs to rediscover his ‘magic’, but glimpses of his historic talent are becoming increasingly rare. For instance, he holds the all-time record with 104 pole positions, but he only has one to his name since the end of 2021.
Hamilton struggled in practice at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, ending the evening session more than a second off the overall pace and seven-tenths behind Leclerc. Major work is required to avoid a repeat of his underwhelming Japan and Bahrain qualifying performances.
Ferrari kept telling Hamilton to brake earlier over the radio. It seems as if he’s compromising his through-corner and exit speeds by being too aggressive on the entry.
The seven-time world champion has built a reputation as a late braker, but this may be part of the adaptation process he alluded to. Right now, he may be overdriving the car to try and coax out laptime, but Leclerc is showing that’s not necessarily the right approach.
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