Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari Debut: A Steep Learning Curve in Chaotic Australian Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton described his maiden race for Ferrari as "a big crash course" after a tumultuous Australian Grand Prix, where he secured a 10th-place finish. The seven-time world champion briefly led the race but fell back due to a late-race strategy misstep as rain intensified.

Hamilton's Struggle with Confidence

The 40-year-old driver admitted, "It felt like I was in the deep, deep end," expressing his lack of confidence in the car and recounting near-misses with the walls. Despite the challenges, Hamilton managed to score a single point, stating, "I'm grateful I got through it, came out of it with a little bit of something, at least one point."

Strategic Errors and Weather Woes

Ferrari's decision to delay switching to treaded tyres during the rain-covered final laps proved costly. Hamilton stopped three laps after McLaren's Lando Norris and one after Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who ultimately claimed victory. Reflecting on the strategy, Hamilton said, "The last sector, everyone was going off but I was managing to hold on... But then it pelted down just in the last two laps, and that's the moment we probably should have come in."

Team Principal's Admission

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur conceded that the team made the "wrong decision" and acknowledged the need for improved communication between the pit wall and the driver. "It was the first time we have to communicate between the pit wall and car, we can do a better job, it was not a clean one at all," Vasseur stated. He emphasized the importance of learning from the mistakes to perform better in the upcoming race in China.

Ferrari's Performance Outlook

Vasseur also noted that the team had not optimized their car for Albert Park, believing their true performance level is closer to McLaren's. He highlighted the challenges posed by overheating tyres and varying track conditions, stating, "If you don't adapt the car to the weekend to the tyres, to the track temp, you are out of the range of performance."

Looking Ahead

Despite the setbacks, Hamilton remains optimistic about Ferrari's potential, stating, "I do think in the actual car, there is a lot more performance, I just don't think we unlocked it this week." The team aims to refine their strategies and communications ahead of the next race, hoping to better leverage their car's capabilities.