Lewis Hamilton Eyes First Ferrari Podium at Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Because the System 1 season heads to Jeddah, Lewis Hamilton is aiming for his first Sunday podium end with Ferrari on the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Whereas the seven-time world champion has already celebrated a Dash race victory, a top-three end in the primary Grand Prix would carry much more significance for each driver and crew.
Hamilton’s begin to life in pink has been turbulent. After managing solely tenth place on his Ferrari debut on the Albert Park circuit in Australia, he was disqualified from the Chinese language Grand Prix in Shanghai as a consequence of a technical infringement. A seventh-place end in Japan provided little comfort, although a fifth-place end in Bahrain was a step ahead. Ferrari’s upgraded SF-25 confirmed encouraging indicators over the course of the 57-lap contest, and insiders recommend that efficiency positive aspects from updates typically take a number of races to completely materialize. Because the sequence now strikes to Saudi Arabia, the Maranello crew are quietly optimistic that Hamilton may unlock as a lot as a 30% efficiency increase.
The Scuderia are presently enduring their longest podium drought for the reason that four-race dry spell that started with the 2022 Miami Grand Prix. Hamilton, who received the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in 2021, has since didn’t qualify inside the highest six on any of his three return visits. He arrives in Jeddah sitting seventh within the drivers’ standings—mirroring his remaining place with Mercedes in 2024. Ferrari, fourth within the constructors’ championship, at the moment are eyeing the faltering Pink Bull crew as potential targets, ought to momentum shift.
Sebastian Vettel Backs Hamilton Amid Ferrari Transition
Sebastian Vettel, a former Ferrari driver and four-time world champion, shared his ideas with Sky Sports activities Germany on Hamilton’s adjustment interval at Maranello. He emphasised the complexity of becoming a member of a crew as distinctive as Ferrari, the place the strain to succeed is commonly as intense as the fervour surrounding the badge. Vettel famous that whereas the Briton stays one of the crucial gifted drivers on the grid—no matter his age—adapting to a brand new atmosphere inevitably requires time.
Vettel expressed confidence that Ferrari’s season may take a pointy upward flip as soon as their improvement path stabilizes. He cautioned, nevertheless, that if early upgrades fail to ship, the crew is perhaps compelled to rethink their 2025 technique and shift focus towards the sweeping regulation adjustments coming in 2026. Nonetheless, he identified that Ferrari had been inside 14 factors of the constructors’ title in 2024, suggesting that critics shouldn’t rush to judgment based mostly on the opening 4 rounds.
He described the transition as multifaceted, involving not simply technical challenges but additionally cultural shifts, together with language and inner dynamics. Vettel believes Hamilton is greater than able to delivering outcomes, however acknowledged that acclimating to Ferrari’s distinctive construction takes endurance. He reminded followers that Ferrari stay a formidable power and that dismissing the crew—or its drivers—could be untimely.
Ted Kravitz Suggests Oscar Piastri as a Qualifying Benchmark for Hamilton
Ted Kravitz weighed in on the seven-time System 1 world champion’s current qualifying struggles, suggesting that the British driver may benefit from observing Oscar Piastri’s progress. The Australian has made notable strides on Saturdays this season, considerably bettering on his 2024 performances. Ted Kravitz implied that adopting components of the Australian’s method may assist Lewis Hamilton discover important one-lap tempo—an space the place teammate Charles Leclerc presently holds the sting.
Lewis Hamilton finds himself able harking back to the German driver’s remaining years with the Italian facet. Regardless of Sebastian Vettel’s early success—together with a race win on his second Ferrari begin and a number of podiums—his type declined following the arrival of Charles Leclerc in 2019. Finally, the Monegasque’s rise led to Sebastian Vettel’s departure. Lewis Hamilton now faces an identical problem as Charles Leclerc continues to extract extra constant tempo from the SF-25, significantly when it comes to qualifying efficiency.
Nonetheless, the Briton lately stated in Bahrain that he feels more and more comfy with the automobile and believes progress is underway. Qualifying efficiency will probably be a important space for enchancment if he hopes to shut the hole and compete frequently for podiums.
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