LEWIS HAMILTON’S TOUGH START AND HOPES FOR CHINESE GRAND PRIX

LEWIS HAMILTON’S TOUGH START AND HOPES FOR CHINESE GRAND PRIX

Lewis Hamilton had a rough start to the F1 season on Sunday with his worst finish ever at a season opener. However, he’s looking forward to the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, a track where he has won six times. The event will also be the first Sprint weekend of the season, starting Friday, live on Sky Sports F1.

Hamilton described his first race with Ferrari as “a lot worse” than expected. He qualified 8th and finished 10th in a chaotic, rainy race in Melbourne. At one point, he even led the race, but Ferrari’s decision to stay on hard tires during the rain ruined the chances for both Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc to finish in the top five.

Hamilton is still adjusting to his new team. After years of working with Peter Bonnington at Mercedes, he now communicates with a new race engineer, Riccardo Adami. There were moments of miscommunication during the race, but Hamilton remained polite. He admitted there was some confusion over how much more rain was expected, but he praised Adami’s efforts and believes they can quickly improve their communication.

Ferrari’s team boss, Frederic Vasseur, said they need to work on better communication between Hamilton and the pit wall. He added that it will take time for Hamilton to fully adjust to the new car. Unlike when he moved from McLaren to Mercedes in 2013, today’s F1 cars are more complicated, making the learning process slower.

Another challenge for Hamilton is his speed compared to his teammate, Charles Leclerc, known for his fast qualifying times. Despite the difficulties, Hamilton was only a few tenths of a second behind Leclerc in qualifying, which he saw as a positive sign.

The Chinese Grand Prix will be held in dry, sunny weather, which should help Hamilton better understand his car’s performance. Good tire management, which was a strength of Hamilton’s at Mercedes, will be crucial in Shanghai.

Ferrari had high hopes for the season, but their performance in Melbourne didn’t show their true potential. The team is determined to improve and believes the next few races will provide a clearer picture of their competitiveness.