It’s a query that has accompanied us all through 2024 and can proceed not less than till March: was Lewis Hamilton a technical asset for Ferrari, or was his signing pushed solely by business causes, because the fiercest critics declare?
The 2024 System 1 championship, which concluded on December 8 with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, was not among the best for the seven-time F1 world champion, it is a well-established reality. The optimistic facet was his return to victory: he received twice, each on iconic and extremely demanding tracks like Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps. The draw back is that he as soon as once more misplaced the interior battle each in qualifying and in races. This example mirrored on the standings, with George Russell as soon as once more forward of his fellow countryman.
These info led some to imagine that the British driver was on the decline. Clearly, we’re speaking a few driver who will flip 40 in a couple of days, so it’s pure to not anticipate his profession to nonetheless be creating towards its peak. Nonetheless, one should be cautious with harsh judgments, avoiding drawing maybe hasty conclusions.
Lewis Hamilton didn’t have a combined season as a consequence of an absence of motivation or due to an inner battle inside Mercedes after his swap to Ferrari was introduced on February 1. No, the British driver paid the value as a result of W15, a automobile he by no means actually related with, particularly when it comes to attaining quick lap instances, the place the sensation and symbiosis with the automobile must be whole.
Initially, it needs to be emphasised that the typical hole Lewis Hamilton needed to George Russell in qualifying was amplified when it comes to grid positions. With a really carefully matched efficiency bundle, even shedding a couple of tenths might value a number of positions. This dynamic magnified the distinction between the 2 Mercedes drivers.
The pinnacle of observe engineering, Andrew Shovlin, defined that Hamilton’s difficulties had been primarily as a consequence of a automobile that wasn’t very quick and had a setup window that was too slim. Some might rightfully level out that these points additionally affected George Russell.
One of many technical traits of the W15 was its tendency to lock the brakes throughout braking, a characteristic that didn’t swimsuit Hamilton’s driving type, particularly because the former McLaren driver prefers {smooth} braking. Moreover, the automobile tended to take not-so-smooth racing traces exiting corners, behaving virtually “in jerks,” one other issue not consistent with Hamilton’s driving type. In races the place these points had been overcome, like Silverstone, Spa-Francorchamps, and even Las Vegas, Lewis managed to carry his personal and ship sturdy performances. Nonetheless, the issue was that the automobile couldn’t carry out like this constantly over the course of the 24 races.
Many drivers who are inclined to excel at braking have confronted difficulties with the new-generation vehicles. Hamilton’s points had been evident in all three years of these kind of vehicles. So, are the traits of ground-effect vehicles one thing the British champion has by no means totally tailored to? In keeping with Shovlin, that isn’t the answer to the puzzle.
Within the engineer’s opinion, the issue stemmed from a attribute that has plagued Mercedes vehicles over the previous three years: getting the automobile to rotate whereas stopping overheating of the rear tires. The truth is, final 12 months Hamilton had complained extensively in regards to the rear finish of the W14, even elevating doubts in regards to the automobile’s design philosophy. These considerations grew so giant and convincing that the creator of that automobile, Mike Elliott, was successfully sidelined from the staff till his contract was terminated.
Lewis Hamilton’s driving type exacerbated the issues on a single lap. The issue in maintaining the rear tires inside the ideally suited operational window was felt considerably this season, resulting in a transparent inner defeat when it comes to pushing on a lap.
George Russell demonstrated higher adaptability to the traits of the Silver Arrow. It’s not that Hamilton didn’t attempt to use setups just like his teammate’s, however the outcomes had been virtually by no means passable. Lewis’ issues turned evident when pushing to the utmost on a quick lap. It was in these circumstances – and we noticed this repeatedly within the dynamic habits of the W15 – that the difficulties with the rear finish turned obvious.
The automobile tended to snap into oversteer, forcing Lewis to “struggle” from the middle of the nook to the exit, which brought on him to lose valuable hundredths of a second in every flip. This habits was due each to the setups and to how the quick lap was ready with rear tires that weren’t completely within the thermal window.
Mercedes, in line with Shovlin himself, did not constantly present a automobile that allowed Lewis to achieve the restrict primarily based on his driving type. It wasn’t straightforward to enter steadiness window and, particularly for Lewis, as soon as that window was reached, it wasn’t straightforward to keep up it. This explains weekends that began properly when it comes to setup however ended poorly with an incapability to adapt to a altering observe. These points pale when the distances elevated. On race tempo, Hamilton usually confirmed that he was forward of his teammate, however observe place strongly penalized him as a result of he typically needed to get well many positions, provided that he didn’t at all times make it into Q3, one thing Russell managed with extra consistency.
Lewis Hamilton and his prospects at Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton arrives at Ferrari hoping to discover a automobile – at present referred to as Venture 677 – that’s extra simple and has a wider operational window, enabling him to be quick within the race – one thing that occurs comparatively simply – but additionally in qualifying.
On the one lap, the British driver will doubtless face the very best qualifier on the grid, which means the interior battle might flip right into a form of nightmare for the seven-time world champion. In 2024, Charles Leclerc, whereas beating Carlos Sainz, often confirmed some problem in getting the Pirelli tires into the suitable window.
Numerous work was completed with Callum Frith, Ferrari’s tire chief, however not all difficulties have been overcome. The Ferrari SF-24, at one level, took a growth course that wasn’t totally suited to the Monegasque driver’s type, which considerably resembles Hamilton’s. Like Lewis, Charles prefers a extra stable entrance finish with a rear finish that’s simpler to manage.
The rear axle must be guided with out displaying the jerky actions Shovlin talked about. With the updates launched through the summer time, Ferrari turned a automobile that was much less liable to understeer and simpler to drive with a rear finish beneath management; this helped Charles, who within the second half of 2024 was the motive force who collected essentially the most factors of all the opposite contenders.
Subsequent 12 months, Ferrari may have two drivers who, on the whole, desire a automobile with very particular traits, not like what occurred in 2024 with Carlos Sainz, who tends to favor barely understeering vehicles. Clearly, this divergence in driving types has additionally mirrored within the growth path taken by the Maranello engineers and technicians. Subsequent 12 months, nonetheless, the trail to observe will probably be a single one: each drivers may benefit from this technical situation.
Clearly, we would not have a crystal ball, nor can we intend to make predictions about what the interior battle at Ferrari will yield, however it’s potential to think about that the 2025 automobile, if it follows the developments seen within the closing months of the 2024 season, may very well be a instrument that permits Hamilton to beat the difficulties encountered over the last world championship.
Then again, Ferrari additionally has some small points to handle, as staff principal Frederic Vasseur stated through the end-of-year press convention. Resolving the thermal administration points with the tires which have often emerged is essential to keep away from the sinusoidal sample that characterised the 2024 season.
At Maranello, they wish to keep away from the highs and lows that finally weighed on the constructors’ championship battle, and so they intend to arrange a quick automobile proper from the beginning, one that may develop regardless that beginning January 1, it will likely be potential to work on the brand new era vehicles that may characterize the 2026 championship.
Lewis Hamilton hopes to discover a automobile that isn’t as temperamental because the final three he needed to drive beneath the Mercedes banner. We’ll see if Ferrari’s technicians can succeed on this endeavor and if the difficulties the British champion confronted final 12 months had been actually technical and never, as critics declare, as a consequence of a driver on the decline.
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