Lewis Hamilton Eyes First Ferrari Podium at Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Because the Formulation 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 way more significance for each driver and workforce.
Hamilton’s begin to life in purple 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 resulting from 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 counsel that efficiency beneficial properties from updates typically take a number of races to totally materialize. Because the collection now strikes to Saudi Arabia, the Maranello workforce are quietly optimistic that Hamilton may unlock as a lot as a 30% efficiency enhance.
The Scuderia are at the moment enduring their longest podium drought because the four-race dry spell that started with the 2022 Miami Grand Prix. Hamilton, who gained 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 workforce 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 workforce 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 vital gifted drivers on the grid—no matter his age—adapting to a brand new surroundings inevitably requires time.
Vettel expressed confidence that Ferrari’s season may take a pointy upward flip as soon as their growth course stabilizes. He cautioned, nevertheless, that if early upgrades fail to ship, the workforce is perhaps compelled to rethink their 2025 technique and shift focus towards the sweeping regulation adjustments coming in 2026. Nonetheless, he identified that Ferrari have 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 in addition 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 persistence. He reminded followers that Ferrari stay a formidable power and that dismissing the workforce—or its drivers—can be untimely.
Ted Kravitz Suggests Oscar Piastri as a Qualifying Benchmark for Hamilton
Ted Kravitz weighed in on the seven-time Formulation 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 enhancing on his 2024 performances. Ted Kravitz implied that adopting parts of the Australian’s method may 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 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. Ultimately, 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 not too long ago mentioned in Bahrain that he feels more and more comfy with the automotive and believes progress is underway. Qualifying efficiency will likely be a vital space for enchancment if he hopes to shut the hole and compete usually for podiums.
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