Lewis Hamilton’s Adaptation Journey at Ferrari: Insights from Team Principal Fred Vasseur

After the Bahrain Grand Prix, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton confirmed his growing understanding of the Ferrari machinery, marking 12 seasons with Mercedes. Now, team principal Fred Vasseur has added to this, acknowledging that Hamilton also needs to adjust his approach.

The Challenges Ahead for Hamilton and Ferrari

Transitioning to Ferrari was never going to be a smooth ride for the driver, with this season primarily focused on adaptation for both Hamilton and the team. “You can’t replace 12 years of collaboration in two weeks or two races,” Vasseur told the media. “This means that we undoubtedly need improvement, but I believe this is true for everyone in the team, in the paddock.

Vasseur further emphasized, “We will work on the car to adapt it to Lewis, but he also has to take a step. And I think this, between us, is being done in a positive and constructive way.” This comment was made after a challenging qualifying for Hamilton during his Bahrain campaign, where he qualified ninth. However, he managed to improve his pace during the race, finishing the Grand Prix in fifth position, right behind his teammate.

Managing Expectations and Learning Curve

Vasseur has been successful in managing expectations around his driver this season. “We must remain calm when judging performance because a good weekend can easily turn into a poor one, and vice versa,” he stated.

The Bahrain Grand Prix marked a step forward for Hamilton in mastering the SF-25. “During the middle stint, I felt really aligned with the car. My driving style seemed to be working at that moment,” Hamilton said after the race. “I learned a lot today and this weekend, probably more than all other weekends. The key is to try and get back to it every weekend.

It’s clear that our car requires a different driving style, and Hamilton seems to be gradually adapting to it. “I was a bit all over the place with set-up, far from Charles the past two weekends, but I’ve slowly moved towards him,” he added. “If I start the weekend with a more convenient spot and apply the techniques I learned this weekend, hopefully we’ll be in a good place.