Lewis Hamilton Reflects on Dramatic Ferrari Debut at Australian Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton expressed gratitude for completing his first race with Ferrari at the Australian Grand Prix, describing the experience as being thrown into the "deep, deep end." Despite the challenges, Hamilton managed to secure a 10th-place finish at Albert Park, just two spots behind teammate Charles Leclerc.

A Crash Course in Adaptation

Hamilton reflected on the race, stating, "Definitely a big crash course today. I'm just grateful I kept it out of the wall." He elaborated on the difficulties of adapting to the new car, especially in wet conditions. "The car was behaving a lot different to what I've experienced in the past. The power unit, all the steering functions, all the things that are thrown to you, you're trying to juggle all these new things."

Weather Woes and Strategy Missteps

The race was marked by rapidly changing weather conditions, leading to three Safety Car periods. In the closing stages, Hamilton and Leclerc opted to stay out on dry tyres as rain began to fall again. However, as the rain intensified, both drivers were forced to pit for intermediate wet tyres. Hamilton later lamented, "We missed a big opportunity there."

Learning Curve with New Team

This race also marked Hamilton's first with new race engineer Riccardo Adami, following his long-standing partnership with Peter Bonnington at Mercedes. Hamilton praised Adami's efforts, saying, "I think Riccardo did a really good job. We're learning about each other, and yeah, bit by bit, after this, we'll download and go through all the comments, things I said and vice-versa."

Looking Ahead

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur acknowledged the communication challenges but remained optimistic. "It was the first race, the first time that we have to communicate between the pitwall and the car. We can do a better job and know each other more," Vasseur said. Hamilton is already planning adjustments for the next race, stating, "I'm going to make some changes next week to the car, to the setup."