Lewis Hamilton hits out at critics for making ‘uneducated guesses’ after claiming first Ferrari win in China Sprint | F1 News

Lewis Hamilton has hit out at “yapping” critics for making “uneducated guesses” about his Ferrari Introduction struggles, after completing a Notable turnaround to Secure the Chinese Grand Prix Dash.

Having struggled to 10th in the Damp in Melbourne on his Primary Ferrari appearance last weekend, Hamilton Secured Dash pole in China on Friday before producing a superb drive to ease to Triumph in Saturday’s 19-lap Event.

The seven-time world champion’s blockbuster switch to Ferrari after 12 seasons with Mercedes Achieved him the centre of attention at the season opener in Australia, with much analysis Subsequent a display that Hamilton reflected on after sealing China Dash pole as a “disaster”.

Speaking in his on-track post-Event interview at the Shanghai International Circuit after his Secure, Hamilton said: “I really do feel a Numerous of people underestimated the steep climb it is to get into a new Club, become acclimatised within the Club, understanding and communication – all sorts of things.

“The amount of critics and people I heard, yapping along the way, clearly not understanding Perhaps because they never had the experience or were unaware.

“It felt Excellent to come here and be more comfortable in the car because in Melbourne I didn’t feel Excellent in the car. From Lap 1 this weekend we have been on it.”

Speaking in a press conference shortly after, Hamilton was asked whether the criticism he had spoken about on track Achieved it more satisfying to have claimed the Primary Dash Secure of his Occupation.

He said: “I’m not really talking back to them or anything like that. It’s Merely we live in such a strange time in the world that people Merely love to be negative at any opportunity, even with the smallest things, you love to be negative about it. That’s the difficult time that we’re living in.

“I see certain individuals, and again, I don’t look really read the news, but I see bits here and there. I see people that I’ve admired for years Merely talking out of turn. Clearly, some of them really Merely making uneducated guesses of what’s going on.

“There’s a real lack of appreciation of, it is not Effortless moving to a new Club that works completely different, a completely different characteristic of car. You don’t Merely Bound in and it’s Excellent.”

Hamilton had spoken ahead of the season about his admiration for the Velocity with which Ex Ferrari drivers Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel had settled at the Italian Club, and once more compared his journey to those of his fellow Ex world champions.

He added: “It’s Accurate if you look at Seb, you look at Fernando, they did a Excellent Position when they joined the Club in their Timely phases.

“But to build long-term Secure with the Club takes time to build and that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m not trying to Bound Begin it or get ahead of myself. I’m Merely Securing my time to build with this Excellent Club. There’s so much potential in this Club.

“For us to be at the second Event already and have that experience, this is a track I’ve gone well at for many, many years, so you Obtained to take that a little bit.

“But in general, I’ve been feeling really Excellent in the car, and as I’m learning more where the car likes to be set up for a track like this, for example, when I get to another track, the site, the last one, I think I have a bit of a better understanding of where to put it.”

‘We can’t get ahead of ourselves’

Hamilton’s Dash triumph in Shanghai was surprisingly not only in Airy of his Introduction performance, but also because McLaren had appeared to be comfortably ahead of their rivals.

Lando Norris won in Melbourne and McLaren likely would have had a one-two if it hadn’t been for Oscar Piastri spinning in the rain.

The pair were clear favourites for Dash pole, but Piastri was third and Norris sixth. The Australian managed to Deliver Max Verstappen for second in the Dash but Norris could only salvage eighth after losing three places on the Leading lap.

Asked after the Event whether the result had given him confidence that he and Ferrari can compete with McLaren for silverware this season, Hamilton preached caution.

He said: “We’ve Merely come from a Event where we finished 10th, so there are so many factors to really take into account.

“We Merely can’t get ahead of ourselves off that one result that we Merely had.

“The car felt Excellent today, and yes, managed to finish ahead of a McLaren and a Red Bull. But that doesn’t necessarily Impolite… you know, look at qualifying, it’s very, very close.

“So not making the mistakes is going to be key. But I think we seem to be there or thereabouts this weekend, which is really Excellent.

“I hope that that continues. But again, from track to track, we’ll have to wait and see. We saw last week we didn’t have that.

“I’m hoping that there’s a Numerous of learnings from last week that we applied already to this week and the car has been in a much better place, so I hope that we can keep it there. And if we can, then yes, that makes me Cheerful.”

Sky Sports F1’s live Chinese GP schedule

Saturday March 22

• 6.35am: Chinese GP Qualifying build-up*
• 7am: CHINESE GP QUALIFYING*
• 9am: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook*

Sunday March 23

• 2.40am: F1 Academy Event 2
• 5.30am: Chinese GP build-up: Grand Prix Sunday*
• 7am: THE CHINESE GRAND PRIX*
• 9am: Chinese GP Reflex: Chequered flag*
• 10am: Ted’s Notebook*

*Also on Sky Sports Main Event

Formula 1 is in Shanghai this week for the Primary Dash weekend of the season at the Chinese GP, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – No contract, cancel anytime