Synopsis
Lewis Hamilton finished 10th in his Ferrari debut at the Australian Grand Prix, expressing disappointment over the race's challenges and potential for improvement. Teammate Charles Leclerc also faced difficulties, acknowledging his mistakes during the rain-soaked event.Key Takeaways
- Hamilton finished 10th in his Ferrari debut.
- Race conditions were challenging due to rain.
- Teammate Leclerc acknowledged his mistakes.
- Both drivers believe there's potential for improvement.
- They aim to rebound in the next race in Shanghai.
Melbourne, March 16 (NationPress) Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton expressed his dissatisfaction with finishing in 10th place during the opening race of the season at the Australian Grand Prix, marking his debut in a Ferrari.
Starting from eighth, Hamilton struggled to overtake Alex Albon, who was in seventh, as intermittent rain added to the challenges for the drivers at Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit.
Initially, both Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc were positioned well in points-scoring spots as the race transitioned from wet to dry conditions. However, a late rain shower disrupted the race's dynamics.
While some competitors quickly switched to intermediate tyres, Hamilton and Leclerc opted to stick with slicks a bit longer, momentarily placing the Ferraris in 1-2 positions on the timing screen.
As the rain intensified, both drivers struggled to maintain control of their vehicles, with Leclerc experiencing a notable moment. Consequently, they fell down the order and had to settle for minor points finishes.
After finishing in P10, Hamilton remarked, “I’m grateful to finish, at least I got one point. Overall, not what I was hoping for, but there was much to adapt to with all the switch settings and adjustments coming from the team via radio.”
“The car's balance was quite challenging today. I believe there’s significant potential in the car that we didn’t manage to unlock today, but I’m optimistic we can improve for the next race.”
Leclerc acknowledged his error during the late rain, even though he managed to climb back to eighth by overtaking Hamilton and Pierre Gasly from Alpine.
“For much of the race, we believed P5 was within reach,” he stated. “Then the rain changed everything. I have to take responsibility for the mistake I made exiting Turn 11.”
“We lost several positions, which made recovery challenging. We managed to overtake a couple of competitors, but it was too late for the pit stop, and we lost additional positions.”
“Overall, it was a tough day, but we’ll analyze what went wrong. It’s just the first race of the season. While it wasn’t the ideal start, we need to refocus for Shanghai and bounce back from this disappointing weekend.”
