Hamilton Claims First Win with Ferrari in ….. but Full Grand Prix Success Still ….Read more
Lewis Hamilton has already delivered a milestone for Ferrari by winning the Sprint Race at the Chinese Grand Prix, converting his pole position into a commanding victory. While it wasn’t a full-length Grand Prix win—the kind he truly seeks—it still marked his first official triumph in red and a significant early highlight in his new chapter with the Scuderia.
However, outside of that moment of glory, Hamilton has faced a challenging start to life at Ferrari. His debut race weekend in Australia saw him qualify only eighth, and he struggled to make progress through the midfield, ultimately finishing 10th.
In Shanghai, after the high of winning the Sprint, his pace in the main event fell short of expectations. Hamilton found himself unable to keep up with teammate Charles Leclerc and even allowed the Monegasque driver to pass voluntarily. He finished sixth on the road, but a post-race inspection led to disqualification due to excessive wear on the car’s floor plank.
At the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, the trend continued. Starting from eighth again—four spots behind Leclerc—Hamilton managed to overtake rookie Isack Hadjar but had a quiet race overall, ending in seventh place, far off the pace of his former team, Mercedes, and their rising star Kimi Antonelli.
Hamilton Easing into Ferrari Life While Making Technical Contributions
Hamilton is still adjusting to Ferrari’s systems and car dynamics. During the off-season, he took part in Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) sessions in Barcelona and Fiorano, driving both the 2023 and 2024 Ferrari machines. His pre-season testing in Bahrain was limited to about 1.5 days due to mechanical setbacks.
Now that Hamilton has exhausted his TPC allocation under F1’s current regulations, further adaptation is limited by the cost-cap era’s strict testing rules. Despite the early struggles, Ferrari remains confident that the seven-time world champion will hit top form once fully integrated into the team’s structure.
Ferrari has made several efforts to accommodate him, including modifying the car’s seating position over the winter. Hamilton prefers to sit further back in the cockpit—an adjustment the team made to help ease his transition.
