Lewis Hamilton showed real progress in Shanghai, proving he’s adapting fast to Ferrari’s SF-25 despite a few setup missteps.
Lewis Hamilton is starting to find his rhythm with Ferrari. After a tough start to the season, the seven-time world champion looked much more at home with his SF-25 at the Chinese Grand Prix than he did in Melbourne.
From the very first session in Shanghai, Hamilton seemed confident. He grabbed pole position and went on to win the Sprint race — a strong sign of progress. But things didn’t go as smoothly in the main event. A misstep in setup choices after the Sprint compromised both his qualifying and race performance.
So, is Hamilton still climbing the learning curve at Ferrari? Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur offered a balanced perspective.
“Yes and no,” he said. “I don’t think there’s going to be a big leap all of a sudden. It’s more about fine-tuning — getting used to the car, still asking questions about certain functions, that kind of thing.”
Vasseur acknowledged that China marked a positive shift. “He looked much more comfortable, which might mean we’re starting to get on top of things. But even if you get the setup wrong at this stage, it’s not the end of the world.”
He pointed to the Sprint win as evidence of Hamilton’s potential with the team. “After that race, no one was asking questions. He was out front and it was magic.”
“But we’ve got to stay level-headed,” Vasseur added. “That’s why, even after a great result like the Sprint, I reminded everyone — we’re not world champions yet. This season is going to be full of ups and downs.”
And the margins are razor-thin. “After 20 laps, everyone’s still within four seconds. That’s a tenth, maybe a tenth and a half per lap.”
“In that kind of field, the smallest things — tyre management, balance, whatever it is — can move you from P6 to P1, or P1 to P6. And we’ve already seen plenty of that this season.”
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Ferrari Pleased as Hamilton Shows Steady Progress
Ferrari Pleased as Hamilton Shows Steady Progress
