Lewis Hamilton Involved In Awkward Gaffe as F1 left Embarrassed on The First Day of Testing…read more
The highly anticipated debut of Lewis Hamilton in a Ferrari took place on the first day of pre-season testing in Bahrain. The seven-time champion got behind the wheel for the morning session, with Charles Leclerc taking over in the afternoon. While Hamilton looked mostly assured, he had a couple of nervy moments, running wide on two occasions.
Hamilton finished the session in fifth place after clocking 40 laps of the Bahrain International Circuit, with Kimi Antonelli topping the timesheets to lay down an early marker for Mercedes. The session was not without its awkward moments, however, as Hamilton was incorrectly labelled as a Mercedes driver in an on-screen graphic during the live broadcast on F1TV and Sky Sports.
The mistake was not picked up by the commentators, but it was widely shared on social media, highlighting the challenges of adjusting to Hamilton’s new team. Even the broadcast team struggled to get to grips with his move to Maranello, a testament to the iconic association Hamilton had with the Silver Arrows prior to his exit at the end of last season.
As Hamilton navigates his new surroundings, he will be hoping to make a strong start to life at Ferrari by putting on a good show at next month’s Australian Grand Prix, which will mark his competitive debut with the Italian team. Running the rule over his display in testing, Sky Sports pundit Alex Brundle noted that Hamilton’s limited running before the season starts will make it challenging for him to get accustomed to the new car.
“They’ve done so little running before the season starts,” Brundle said. “It’s [effectively] the first time [in Bahrain]. A couple of runs around Fiorano is not going to give you a feel for it. It’s narrow, it’s bumpy, and you just don’t get enough mileage. It’s going to be really interesting to see that Ferrari progress.”
Brundle also highlighted the challenges Hamilton will face in adapting to the new front suspension setup and the entire package that comes with it. “An entirely new front suspension setup for Hamilton and everything that goes with that will take all of his experience to get his head around this year,” he said.
Despite the challenges, Brundle is excited to see how Hamilton will perform in the upcoming season. “It’s going to be fascinating to see an entirely motivated and energised Lewis move that car forward through these three days and then into the beginning of this season. I really can’t wait,” he said.
Before the start of the session, Hamilton had a close call when he jumped off the back of a moving buggy that was travelling around the paddock. He managed to keep his balance and brushed off the stunt, chuckling to himself before admitting, “That was close.” The incident served as a reminder that even the most experienced drivers can have moments of recklessness.
