Lewis Hamilton is setting his sights on a victory on the Australian Grand Prix, marking his debut with Ferrari. Whereas he’s aiming to handle expectations, securing a win is actually inside attain. After spending over a decade with Mercedes, culminating in what might have been the hardest season of his profession, Hamilton is now adapting to a brand new automotive and group dynamic. Even when Ferrari presents the quickest automotive in Melbourne, Charles Leclerc will probably be an especially formidable opponent to beat.
Charles Leclerc, an important determine inside Ferrari, clinched three race victories final season, and the 2 drivers debuted the SF-25 on Wednesday. Nonetheless, it should take three days of testing to raised perceive the true potential of the automotive. Hamilton’s first victory in Components 1 got here throughout his rookie season in 2007 on the sixth race of the yr with McLaren, a victory that set the stage for his slim miss of the championship by only one level.
In his years with Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton secured a win simply earlier than the summer season break on the Hungarian Grand Prix, regardless of Crimson Bull’s dominance that season. This yr, Hamilton stays an unpredictable issue within the title race. Though drivers like Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, and Charles Leclerc are usually seen as the first contenders, Hamilton, along with his seven world championships, can’t be dominated out.
Hamilton has additionally developed a higher respect for 2 of his biggest rivals, Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso. He acknowledged that these two drivers had achieved outstanding feats of their careers, notably when adapting to new groups. Charles Leclerc gained in his first season at Ferrari, securing his maiden victory in Belgium and following it up with a win at Monza. Carlos Sainz took a bit longer, 18 months, however did so with out having had a very aggressive automotive firstly. In distinction, Alonso’s debut with Ferrari in 2010 noticed him win the Bahrain Grand Prix, whereas Sebastian Vettel gained for Ferrari in his second race with the group in Malaysia through the 2015 season.
Hamilton, now at Ferrari, has a newfound admiration for the challenges Sebastian Vettel and Alonso overcame. Each drivers had been confronted with adapting to new environments: Sebastian Vettel, after years at Crimson Bull, and Alonso, who had stints with Renault and McLaren. Hamilton, now a part of Ferrari, acknowledges the immense issue concerned in becoming a member of a brand new group and adjusting to its tradition and dynamics.
In contrast to Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso, Hamilton isn’t beneath the identical stage of strain to win instantly with Ferrari, as he’s already one of many sport’s most profitable drivers. His focus is on overtaking Michael Schumacher’s report of seven championships, a feat he’s already matched when it comes to titles. Regardless of this, Hamilton’s legacy is safe, even when he falls wanting one other championship.
The German driver gained 14 races for Ferrari, coming near the title in 2017 and 2018, however in the end fell quick. Alonso, too, had near-misses in 2010 and 2012, and regardless of his age, continues to pursue a 3rd title. Sebastian Vettel, alternatively, had a possible comeback blocked by Crimson Bull’s Helmut Marko, selecting as a substitute to retire after his closing race with Aston Martin in 2022.
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