Lewis Hamilton Navigates Ferrari to Fifth Place at 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix

After a dismal qualifying performance for the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton demonstrated resilience by guiding his Ferrari from ninth on the grid to fifth place. His teammate, Charles Leclerc, finished fourth after starting second. This impressive result was a testament to Hamilton’s adaptability and determination, suggesting he had made significant progress in understanding the car and adapting to its unique requirements.

The Importance of Brake Feel for Hamilton

What’s clear is that, as humans, we really get stuck in our ways,” Hamilton shared with Sky Sports F1. “And I feel like I’ve been driving a car with the same team for such a long time… and I’ve moved to a new car and it requires such different driving style and settings.

Hamilton elaborated on the challenges he faced due to the change in brake manufacturers, from CIs to Brembos. “I’ve been using engine braking, which I’ve never used in my previous years. Much different brakes – we’re on Brembos, I’ve been on CIs for the past 15 years or so.

The car’s unique driving style necessitated adjustments from Hamilton, who admitted he was still working on finding the right balance. “The car requires a much different driving style. So I’m adjusting to that, and I think I’m slowly getting it into my head,” he said.

Making the Right Strategy Calls in Bahrain

In Bahrain, both Ferraris opted for a different strategy compared to most of the field, starting on medium-compound tyres while the rest of the top 10 started on used softs. While Leclerc lost two positions at the start, Hamilton maintained his ninth position and soon overtook Carlos Sainz’s Williams for eighth.

Despite Yuki Tsunoda undercutting him during the first pit stops, Hamilton quickly regained his position and passed Max Verstappen three laps later. Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Pierre Gasly, who started ahead of Hamilton, lost out due to pitting just before the safety car was deployed on lap 32.

Hamilton even had a brief battle with Lando Norris after the restart but eventually let the McLaren slip away. Thanks to Verstappen’s issues, Hamilton faced no serious threats from behind, allowing him to learn more about how the Ferrari should be driven.

The Road Ahead: Improving Qualifying Performance

However, the focus now is on improving qualifying performance, as small time losses can significantly impact grid positions due to car convergence. “You won’t replace 12 years of collaboration in two weeks or two races,” said Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur in his post-race media briefing.

Vasseur emphasized the need for both Hamilton and the team to improve, stating, “It’s good to have Lewis with this mindset: ‘I have to improve myself, and to adapt myself to the car.’ We will adapt the car to Lewis but he also has to do a step.

Vasseur concluded by expressing optimism about their collaborative efforts, stating, “Between us, it’s done in a very positive and constructive way. Three or four years ago, if you made a mistake and were four or five tenths behind your team-mate you maybe lost one row, now you lose six or seven positions.