Ferrari to Investigate Hamilton’s Struggles After……. Read more
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has confirmed that the team will closely analyze Lewis Hamilton’s underwhelming performance at the Spanish Grand Prix, following what the seven-time world champion described as a “terrible” weekend. Despite managing to out-qualify his teammate Charles Leclerc on Saturday, Hamilton struggled to maintain pace during the race, ultimately falling back to sixth place by the chequered flag.
The 40-year-old Hamilton was forced to let Leclerc through as early as lap 10, acknowledging the superior speed of the Monegasque driver. While Leclerc went on to finish on the podium in Barcelona, Hamilton lost out in the latter stages, most notably being overtaken by Nico Hulkenberg following a safety car restart. His lack of pace, particularly in the final stint, raised concerns within the Ferrari camp, prompting Vasseur to announce a deeper investigation into the British driver’s car and performance.
Speaking after the race to Sky Sports Germany, Vasseur emphasized that while the team was generally satisfied with their pace and recent momentum, Hamilton’s sudden drop in performance during the final stint was concerning. “I’m happy with it, but it was a little chaotic,” Vasseur said, referencing the overall race. “We have some question marks over the tyres because they were better at the end than at the beginning. But we’ve had three good races now with Imola, Monaco, and Barcelona. That means we’re back in the fight for second place in the constructors’ championship.”
Despite the overall optimism for Ferrari’s pace and positioning, Vasseur acknowledged that Hamilton’s race did not go according to plan. “The pace was okay, except for the last stint. I don’t know if there was a problem there; we’ll have to look into that. He had a significant drop in performance in the final part of the race,” he said.
Various theories have been circulating about Hamilton’s comparative lack of form this season, with some, including former rival Nico Rosberg, suggesting that age might be playing a role in the veteran driver’s recent struggles. However, Hamilton himself did not cite any physical issues but admitted post-race that the car felt “the worst it’s ever felt balance-wise.” The Briton couldn’t pinpoint any exact cause but acknowledged something had gone awry during the race.
Later, Vasseur elaborated further on the situation, revealing that a technical issue had impacted Hamilton’s performance before the safety car period. However, he declined to disclose the exact nature of the problem at this time, indicating that more analysis was needed.
As Ferrari prepares for the next race following a short break, Hamilton finds himself trailing Leclerc by 23 points in the drivers’ standings. The gap between the two has sparked conversation within the paddock, with many watching closely to see how Ferrari and Hamilton respond to this challenge in the races ahead.
