Scuderia boss Fred Vasseur was far from happy as Lewis Hamilton prepares for…read more
Lewis Hamilton’s debut with Ferrari at the Australian Grand Prix did not go as smoothly as expected, with the seven-time world champion’s performance in qualifying leaving team principal Fred Vasseur frustrated. On Saturday, Hamilton barely avoided being eliminated in the first qualifying session, only managing to secure a spot in Q3 with a P8 finish, which was far from ideal for the Scuderia.
After a difficult few seasons with Mercedes, Hamilton made the switch to Ferrari during the winter break in hopes of returning to his winning ways. However, his performance during qualifying highlighted the significant challenges Ferrari faces in competing with drivers like Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, and Oscar Piastri. In fact, Hamilton was nearly a second slower than pole-sitter Lando Norris, a gap that underscores the work Ferrari still needs to do to become competitive at the front of the grid.
Hamilton’s qualifying session was a tense one. As Sky Sports commentator Ted Kravitz noted, the British driver was on the brink of being knocked out in Q1, but managed to pull off a strong final lap that allowed him to progress into Q2. With a P6 finish in the final run, Hamilton secured a place in Q3, giving him a chance to improve his position for the race.
However, Ferrari’s strategy decisions did not help matters. Kravitz revealed that Vasseur was unhappy with the timing of the team’s calls during qualifying, particularly when Hamilton asked his engineer, Riccardo Adami, whether he should pit. Initially, Adami told Hamilton to box for fresh tires, but moments later, Ferrari reversed the decision, telling Hamilton to stay out. This caused confusion for the driver, who questioned the sudden shift in instructions.
The cause of the confusion, as explained by Kravitz, was that Ferrari had run out of time to bring Hamilton in for fresh tires and did not have any new sets remaining. As a result, Hamilton stayed out on track longer than planned, running on old tires without the benefit of fresh rubber for a quicker lap time. This mismanagement of the strategy contributed to Hamilton’s less-than-optimal performance and left Vasseur frustrated with the team’s execution during qualifying.
Despite the issues, Hamilton’s P8 grid position still gave him a chance to fight for a better result on Sunday, but he and Ferrari are aware that improvements are needed. The close call during qualifying emphasized the work ahead for both Hamilton and the team to challenge for higher positions, especially against the top contenders. Moving forward, Hamilton will need to refine his qualifying performances if he and Ferrari hope to be more competitive in future races.
