Toto Wolff and Andrea Stella agree on one thing about Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari struggles at…read more
At the Australian Grand Prix, both Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari experienced a disappointing start to the season, with Hamilton qualifying in eighth and his teammate Charles Leclerc just ahead in seventh. The first Formula 1 qualifying session of the year saw Ferrari fall short of expectations, especially since they had hoped to battle McLaren for pole position. However, they were outpaced by the likes of Yuki Tsunoda in the Racing Bulls car and Alex Albon in the Williams, which left many surprised at Ferrari’s performance. Meanwhile, McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri secured a one-two finish, with Max Verstappen coming closest to challenging Norris.
Despite the underwhelming results, both McLaren team principal Andrea Stella and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff believe Ferrari’s true potential hasn’t been fully reflected in the qualifying results. Stella, speaking to Sky Sports, suggested that Ferrari’s performance in qualifying might be misleading. He stated that while most teams had shown their true pace, Ferrari appeared to be an outlier. “I think they are much closer to the pace than they seem,” he added, explaining that the gaps in qualifying times didn’t truly represent Ferrari’s competitive potential.
Wolff echoed this sentiment, expressing confidence that Ferrari is still very much in the mix. Although Mercedes’ George Russell qualified fourth, with debutant Kimi Antonelli struggling in Q1, Wolff insisted that Ferrari should not be written off just yet. The performance from Ferrari, according to Wolff, was not reflective of their actual speed, and he expressed optimism that they would improve in future sessions. Sky’s Ted Kravitz pointed out to Wolff that Stella had made a similar comment, further reinforcing the expectation that Ferrari would bounce back, whether in the race itself or in future Grand Prix.
This sentiment about Ferrari’s potential was not lost on Hamilton, who, despite his confusion over the qualifying result, is determined to unlock the true performance of the Ferrari car. Hamilton’s work ethic this winter has been highly praised, and fans can take comfort in the fact that he is fully committed to helping Ferrari return to form. His focus on maximizing the car’s capabilities is a reassuring sign for the team, as they look to recover from their disappointing start.
The qualifying session highlighted a significant gap between Ferrari’s expected performance and their actual results, with many experts and team principals confident that the Scuderia will close that gap soon. With the backing of both Wolff and Stella, Ferrari is expected to make a stronger showing in the upcoming race weekends.
