14/03/2025
NEWS STORY
"You can't draw a conclusion after a first session," insists Ferrari boss as Lewis Hamilton is out-paced by teammate Charles Leclerc.
While we have got used to the social media vultures circling the likes of Jack Doohan and Liam Lawson, it was interesting to note that after less than ninety minutes of running the Sky F1 team was opining who needs to pull their socks up.
Of course, one of the key targets was Lewis Hamilton, who, according to legend, should have set the pace in both sessions, going on to claim pole, the top step of the podium and a record eighth title at season end.
In fact, the Briton was 12th in the opening session - 0.610s off his teammate's pace - and fifth in FP2, 0.420s down.
At the official FIA press conference, team boss Fred Vasseur was asked to explain the Briton's deficit in pace and whether it worried him.
"It's not a matter of speed," said the Frenchman. "The target is for him to know everybody at the team, discover the software, the process, the system.
"I think, I'm really convinced, that we have something very similar to Mercedes," he continued, "but at the end of the day perhaps not with the same name or the same way to use them. It's just a learning process.
"You can't draw a conclusion after a first session," he insisted. "I have absolutely no doubt that he will be able to perform and to perform soon."
"For me I think it's a little bit early as I continue to just get to learn the car, but you know, never say never," said the Briton. "I'll still give it everything I've got tomorrow and just not put on too much pressure.
"I'm just going to try and enjoy it," he added. "I've got some pace to find, I know where I'm going to find it, it's just about going out and doing it."
After 12 years with Mercedes, the seven-time world champion admits that he is still getting used to his new team's way of working.
"I'm really still getting used to all the set-up changes," he explained, "so it's like I don't have them on call like I used to have obviously at Mercedes.
"Because I'd been at Mercedes for so long, I knew exactly all the set-up changes," he continued, "so I'm still working through understanding what tools we can use.
"It's interesting, because you can see with Charles, he just knows because he's been here for such a long time. I'm slowly piecing the bits of the puzzle together."
Check out our Friday gallery from Albert Park here.