The Chinese Grand Prix presents Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari with the perfect opportunity to move forward after a tough debut together in Melbourne. Their partnership is already evolving, and Hamilton is ready to take a more active role in shaping the team’s direction.
Hamilton’s highly anticipated first race with Ferrari was marred by a disappointing qualifying session. Both he and Charles Leclerc struggled, lining up only on the fourth row of the grid. The race itself wasn’t much better—Leclerc finished eighth, while Hamilton could only manage tenth, scoring a combined five points for the team.
Beyond a car that wasn’t suited to the specific challenges of the Melbourne weekend, their performance was further hampered by strategic missteps and disrupted radio communication. It was later revealed that both drivers had been misled by inaccurate simulator data, leading to incorrect setup choices.
Hamilton: “I’m No Rookie, It’s Time to Take Control”
Hamilton admitted that he’s still learning how to fine-tune the car to address specific issues, but he’s ready to take more control over the process.
“I have a huge hunger to learn. So far, I’ve been following the team’s advice like a rookie would—despite being a seven-time world champion. But now, I’ll take a more proactive approach instead of just following their lead.”
“Of course, I won’t make a sudden shift overnight. It’ll be gradual. We’ll simply tweak the car setup a little differently this weekend.”
“I still need to understand how the team operates. Melbourne was the first time I got to observe their race weekend approach, which is quite different from testing. I’m learning how they prefer to set up the car and what adjustments they typically make throughout the weekend.”
As he gains confidence and gets more familiar with the SF-24, Hamilton plans to take a stronger role in setup decisions.
“The more comfortable I get with the car, the more I can start making calls myself—saying, ‘Actually, this is the setup change I want to make.’ I already have those discussions planned for this weekend, and I’m looking forward to building my experience with the team.”
No Panic Over Ferrari’s Strategy Setback
Ferrari’s race strategy—once a major weakness—had improved significantly in 2024. But the team faltered in Melbourne, making costly race-day decisions. Despite this, Hamilton isn’t overly concerned.
“It wasn’t the race we wanted, but now isn’t the time to overreact or start pointing fingers.”
“One small detail could have completely changed our result. But we move forward. Everyone is still motivated, everyone’s holding their heads high, and the energy inside the garage is still strong.”
“We won’t let one race define us.”
With Hamilton now asserting his influence, Ferrari’s journey with their star signing is only just beginning.
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Hamilton Takes Charge: A New Era Begins at Ferrari Hamilton Takes Charge: A New Era Begins at Ferrari
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