Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton is still adjusting, but team boss Fred Vasseur insists there’s no reason to worry after a quiet FP1 session.
Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur isn’t losing sleep over Lewis Hamilton’s quiet start in Free Practice 1. The seven-time world champion, who only had a day and a half of testing with the SF-25 before this weekend’s season opener, is still settling into his new surroundings.
Unlike some of the other drivers who switched teams, Hamilton missed out on last year’s post-season test in Abu Dhabi. To make up for it, Ferrari put him in one of their older cars earlier this year—what F1 calls Testing of Previous Cars (TPC). Speaking in Melbourne, Vasseur explained that the session helped Hamilton get familiar with how the team operates behind the scenes.
Vasseur Confident as Hamilton Settles into Ferrari Routine
“The goal isn’t to be on the limit after just one session—it’s not about pure speed,” Vasseur said in the FIA press conference after FP1, addressing Hamilton’s P12 finish. “He’s still adapting, and honestly, you can’t judge anything from one session. I have zero doubts about his ability to perform, and it won’t take long. Last year, Carlos [Sainz] was eighth or ninth in free practice and ended up winning the race.”
Vasseur emphasised that Hamilton’s priority right now is understanding the team’s processes, software, and systems. “I’m sure our setup is quite similar to Mercedes, but maybe things don’t have the same name or work exactly the same way.”
“It’s just part of the learning curve. We ran a couple of TPC test days a month or two ago, which was useful, but nothing compares to a proper race weekend. There’s still qualifying and the race ahead, and honestly, I’m not worried at all.”
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Hamilton’s Slow Start? Ferrari Boss Says No Cause for Alarm Hamilton’s Slow Start? Ferrari Boss Says No Cause for Alarm
