Lewis Hamilton believes Ferrari is currently lacking the speed to compete at the front of the grid in Formula 1. During practice sessions in Japan, Charles Leclerc and Hamilton finished fifth and sixth, falling behind McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by approximately seven to eight tenths of a second. The Ferrari team struggled on the straights, losing time especially on the home straight and into Turn 1. Despite making up some time in slower corners, they were unable to match the pace of the Mercedes-powered cars in the speed sections.
Hamilton acknowledged that while the car felt okay, it was not fast enough, largely due to a lack of balance. He emphasized the need to work on improving the car’s setup to increase their competitiveness against McLaren. Ferrari’s sporting director Diego Ioverno expressed that the performance deficit was within expectations, especially in short-run scenarios. He mentioned the challenge posed by the track’s new surface and highlighted the importance of ensuring tire performance from the first lap.
In an effort to address these issues, the Ferrari team plans to analyze data and resolve minor issues to enhance their performance. Despite the setbacks, the team remains focused on refining their setup to extract more potential from the car. As they continue to fine-tune their strategy, they aim to close the gap and position themselves better for upcoming races.
