Lewis Hamilton Eyes First Ferrari Podium at Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Because the Components 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 lead to the principle Grand Prix would carry way more significance for each driver and group.
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 result of a technical infringement. A seventh-place end in Japan supplied little comfort, although a fifth-place lead to Bahrain was a step ahead. Ferrari’s upgraded SF-25 confirmed encouraging indicators over the course of the 57-lap contest, and insiders counsel that efficiency features from updates usually take a number of races to completely materialize. Because the collection now strikes to Saudi Arabia, the Maranello group are quietly optimistic that Hamilton might unlock as a lot as a 30% efficiency increase.
The Scuderia are at the moment 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 closing place with Mercedes in 2024. Ferrari, fourth within the constructors’ championship, at the moment are eyeing the faltering Purple Bull group 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 group as distinctive as Ferrari, the place the stress to succeed is usually as intense as the eagerness 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 might take a pointy upward flip as soon as their growth route stabilizes. He cautioned, nevertheless, that if early upgrades fail to ship, the group 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 mustn’t rush to judgment primarily based on the opening 4 rounds.
He described the transition as multifaceted, involving not simply technical challenges but additionally cultural shifts, together with language and inside 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 group—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 Components 1 world champion’s current qualifying struggles, suggesting that the British driver may gain advantage from observing Oscar Piastri’s progress. The Australian has made notable strides on Saturdays this season, considerably enhancing on his 2024 performances. Ted Kravitz implied that adopting components of the Australian’s strategy might assist Lewis Hamilton discover vital one-lap tempo—an space the place teammate Charles Leclerc at the moment holds the sting.
Lewis Hamilton finds himself ready harking back to the German driver’s closing 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 kind declined following the arrival of Charles Leclerc in 2019. Finally, the Monegasque’s rise led to Sebastian Vettel’s departure. Lewis Hamilton now faces the same problem as Charles Leclerc continues to extract extra constant tempo from the SF-25, significantly by way of qualifying efficiency.
Nonetheless, the Briton lately stated in Bahrain that he feels more and more snug with the automotive and believes progress is underway. Qualifying efficiency will probably be a vital space for enchancment if he hopes to shut the hole and compete usually for podiums.
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