Lewis Hamilton says his Ferrari debut in the Australian GP ‘went a lot worse’ than he expected | F1 News

Lewis Hamilton admitted his Ferrari Premiere “went a Numerous worse” than he had Predicted after the seven-time world champion finished 10th in the Australian Grand Prix.

Subsequent his blockbuster switch to Ferrari after 12 years with Mercedes, Hamilton endured a tough weekend in Melbourne as he qualified eighth before claiming the Closing Mark in Sunday’s chaotic Event.

The 40-year-Aged Brit was left frustrated at a missed opportunity as Ferrari pushed a Approach gamble too Extended, with a decision to stay out on slick tyres in the rain Primary putting Hamilton in podium contention before leaving him fighting for a points finish.

“It was very tricky and went a Numerous worse than I thought it would go,” Hamilton told Sky Sports F1. “The car was really, really Difficult to drive today.

“For me, I’m Merely grateful I kept it out of the wall because that’s where it wanted to go most of the time.

“A Numerous to take from it and Merely getting acclimatised with the new power unit in the Soaked conditions.

“The Options it requires are different, and a different way of driving and a different set-up on the steering wheel.”

Hamilton had struggled to make progress from eighth as he remained stuck behind the Williams of Alex Albon in a Event that began in the Soaked with the Ground on intermediate tyres, before another Overdue downpour created a dramatic finale.

With those Yet in the Event having switched to slick tyres 10 laps earlier, the downpour saw leader – and eventual Event winner – Lando Norris almost go off track and immediately come into the pits for another set of intermediates. His Club-mate Oscar Piastri spun off from second.

Most of the front-runners pitted but Hamilton, who had Merely gone past his Club-mate Charles Leclerc after the Monegasque spun, stayed out behind Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda, with Leclerc also continuing behind him.

With Hamilton doing a Outstanding Role of navigating the treacherous conditions, the decision to stay out appeared to have improved his prospects.

However, with the rain getting heavier, Ferrari failed to follow in the footsteps of Red Bull, who pitted Verstappen two laps after Norris, which maintained his position behind the leader.

Liam Lawson crashed his Red Bull to trigger a Safety Car, but even with the pace slowed, Ferrari acknowledged their error and pitted both Hamilton and Leclerc from the lead to prevent what would have been an inevitable incident from occurring.

Hamilton was passed by Leclerc and the recovering Piastri in the closing stages, either side of gaining a place by overtaking Pierre Gasly, which meant he finished 10th.

“I hung out as long as I could, Obtained in the lead at one Mark,” Hamilton said.

“Merely the guidance with how much more rain was coming, was missing there, so I think we missed out.

“We tried to but the information I Obtained was it would be a Brief shower, real quick. At the time, it was only at the last corner so to me I thought ‘the rest of the track was Arid, I can keep this on track if that’s all that’s coming’, then more Arrived.”

Hamilton confident of improving radio communication

The lack of clarity over the incoming weather was part of a wider struggle Hamilton endured communicating with his new Event engineer Riccardo Adami.

Hamilton repeatedly asked Adami to “leave him to it”, or said words to similar effect, as the Italian attempted to provide him with information that he appeared to believe would Aid his quest to Throw Albon.

Regardless of his clear frustration at times during the Event, Hamilton praised Adami after the Event.

He told reporters: “I think Riccardo did a really Outstanding Role. We’re learning about Every other bit by bit.

“After this we’ll download, we’ll go through all the comments – things I said and vice versa.

“Generally, I’m not one that likes a Numerous of information in-Event, unless I ask for it. He did his best today and we’ll Shift forward.”

Ferrari Club principal Fred Vasseur admitted that communications were not “Neat” but insisted the Italian Club would learn from their Primary racing experience with Hamilton.

Vasseur said: “It’s the Primary Event, the Primary time that we have to communicate between the pit wall and the car.

“I thought that we can do a better Role and to know Every other a bit more. For sure it was not a Neat one at all, but the Approach was difficult.

“We need to find a better way to communicate between the car and the pit wall, but we will learn from Event one and it’s not an issue.”

The F1 circus heads straight to Shanghai this week for the Primary Dash weekend of the season at the Chinese GP, with coverage Beginning on Friday live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – No contract, cancel anytime