Hamilton reveals adaptation challenges with Ferrari F1 car

Lewis Hamilton reveals that deep understanding of Ferrari’s car setup remains the key factor behind his inconsistent performance at the start of his career with the Italian team.

Mixed performance was evident during races in Australia and China — Hamilton managed to win the sprint race but struggled in the grand prix. The situation became more complicated when he and Charles Leclerc were disqualified from fifth and sixth positions in Shanghai due to technical issues.

“It’s a combination of several things, but mainly it’s about pinning down the setup. I’m still learning about this car and haven’t tried all available options yet,” Hamilton explained.

The British driver acknowledges the challenges in adapting from Mercedes to Ferrari — particularly due to limited testing time. Hamilton had never performed a dry race simulation before the Chinese GP, and only first experienced the hard C2 Pirelli tires during the race.

Despite facing various obstacles, Hamilton remains optimistic about his adaptation progress. His first experience driving Ferrari in wet conditions and completing long stints provided valuable lessons for future performance development.