It’s a query that has accompanied us all through 2024 and can proceed at the very least 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 Method 1 championship, which concluded on December 8 with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, was not among the finest for the seven-time F1 world champion, this can be a well-established truth. The constructive 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 couple of driver who will flip 40 in a number of days, so it’s pure to not anticipate his profession to nonetheless be growing towards its peak. Nevertheless, one should be cautious with harsh judgments, avoiding drawing maybe hasty conclusions.
Lewis Hamilton didn’t have a combined season because of a scarcity of motivation or due to an inner battle inside Mercedes after his change to Ferrari was introduced on February 1. No, the British driver paid the worth because of the W15, a automobile he by no means really linked with, particularly when it comes to reaching quick lap instances, the place the sensation and symbiosis with the automobile must be complete.
Initially, it ought 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 intently matched efficiency package deal, even shedding a number of tenths might value a number of positions. This dynamic magnified the distinction between the 2 Mercedes drivers.
The pinnacle of monitor engineering, Andrew Shovlin, defined that Hamilton’s difficulties have been primarily because of a automobile that wasn’t very quick and had a setup window that was too slim. Some could 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 model, particularly because the former McLaren driver prefers {smooth} braking. Moreover, the automobile tended to take not-so-smooth racing strains exiting corners, behaving virtually “in jerks,” one other issue not according to Hamilton’s driving model. In races the place these points have been overcome, like Silverstone, Spa-Francorchamps, and even Las Vegas, Lewis managed to carry his personal and ship robust performances. Nevertheless, 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 have been evident in all three years of a majority of these vehicles. So, are the traits of ground-effect vehicles one thing the British champion has by no means absolutely 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. In actual fact, final yr Hamilton had complained extensively concerning the rear finish of the W14, even elevating doubts concerning the automobile’s design philosophy. These issues grew so massive 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 model exacerbated the issues on a single lap. The problem in retaining the rear tires inside the perfect 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 much like his teammate’s, however the outcomes have 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 “battle” from the middle of the nook to the exit, which triggered 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, based on Shovlin himself, didn’t constantly present a automobile that allowed Lewis to achieve the restrict based mostly on his driving model. It wasn’t simple to enter a very good steadiness window and, particularly for Lewis, as soon as that window was reached, it wasn’t simple to take care of it. This explains weekends that began effectively when it comes to setup however ended poorly with an incapability to adapt to a altering monitor. These points light when the distances elevated. On race tempo, Hamilton usually confirmed that he was forward of his teammate, however monitor place strongly penalized him as a result of he typically needed to recuperate many positions, on condition that he didn’t all the time 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 known as Undertaking 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 in addition in qualifying.
On the only lap, the British driver will possible 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, sometimes confirmed some issue in getting the Pirelli tires into the correct window.
Loads of work was finished 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 completely suited to the Monegasque driver’s model, which considerably resembles Hamilton’s. Like Lewis, Charles prefers a extra strong entrance finish with a rear finish that’s simpler to regulate.
The rear axle must be guided with out exhibiting the jerky actions Shovlin talked about. With the updates launched throughout the summer time, Ferrari turned a automobile that was much less liable to understeer and simpler to drive with a rear finish below 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 yr, Ferrari can have two drivers who, on the whole, favor 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 yr, nonetheless, the trail to observe shall be a single one: each drivers may gain advantage from this technical situation.
Clearly, we should not have a crystal ball, nor will we intend to make predictions about what the interior battle at Ferrari will yield, however it’s doable to think about that the 2025 automobile, if it follows the developments seen within the remaining months of the 2024 season, might be a software that permits Hamilton to beat the difficulties encountered over the last world championship.
Alternatively, Ferrari additionally has some small points to deal with, as staff principal Frederic Vasseur mentioned throughout the end-of-year press convention. Resolving the thermal administration points with the tires which have sometimes 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 in the end weighed on the constructors’ championship battle, they usually intend to arrange a quick automobile proper from the beginning, one that may develop although beginning January 1, it will likely be doable to work on the brand new era vehicles that can characterize the 2026 championship.
Lewis Hamilton hopes to discover a automobile that isn’t as temperamental because the final three he needed to drive below the Mercedes banner. We’ll see if Ferrari’s technicians can succeed on this endeavor and if the difficulties the British champion confronted final yr have been really technical and never, as critics declare, because of a driver on the decline.
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