Ferrari SF-25: what was behind Lewis Hamilton's race day turnaround in F1 Bahrain GP?

Lewis Hamilton endured a difficult Saturday at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, qualifying only ninth at a venue where there the seven-time Formula 1 world champion has secured five career wins throughout his career. Despite high hopes for his Ferrari debut season, Lewis Hamilton’s fastest lap was 0.9 seconds off Oscar Piastri’s pole-sitting McLaren and nearly 0.6 seconds adrift of his Maranello teammate, Charles Leclerc, who secured second on the grid, thanks also to a penalty received by George Russell.

The result left Lewis Hamilton visibly disappointed and, perhaps more troubling, without a clear understanding of where the performance deficit stemmed from.

After stepping out of his Ferrari, the Briton acknowledged to reporters that he was lacking answers. He admitted he simply wasn’t quick and described the experience as far from encouraging. When questioned about whether this was the lowest point since joining the Italian side, Lewis Hamilton admitted it was certainly not a pleasant feeling.

The opening four rounds of Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari chapter have offered mixed signals. From his first laps at the Fiorano circuit during the winter period, Lewis Hamilton noted how fundamentally different the SF-24 felt compared to the Mercedes cars he had raced for over a decade. Even with his extensive experience, it was clear early on that adapting to Maranello’s machinery would take time.

The British driver, aware of the enormous challenge that comes with changing teams so late in his career, had consistently warned of the transition period. Still, his arrival in red had ignited significant anticipation, with fans and pundits expecting immediate results.

A surprise pole and sprint victory in China briefly lifted spirits and offered a glimpse of what might be possible. However, the main race in Shanghai was less convincing, reinforcing the notion that Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari are still finding their rhythm. That sprint win increasingly looks like an outlier amid an otherwise inconsistent run of form. In Japan, the seven-time F1 world champion felt more optimistic. He noted incremental progress and revealed the team had discovered a setup tweak that could bring him a tenth of a second per lap relative to Charles Leclerc. With qualifying gaps between the two drivers averaging just 0.048 seconds in the opening events, namely Australia, China sprint, China GP, and Japan, the update had the potential to shift the internal balance in Lewis Hamilton’s favor.

OUTLINE:

00:00:00 Bahrain Qualifying Disappointment
00:00:33 Hamilton's Reaction and Uncertainty
00:00:42 Post-Qualifying Comments
00:01:01 Initial Impressions and Adaptation
00:01:24 Expectations vs. Reality
00:01:41 Glimmers of Hope and Inconsistency
00:03:33 F1 Bahrain GP: Lewis Hamilton made a strong recovery drive
00:05:52 Fréd Vasseur on the big challenge Lewis Hamilton is facing at Ferrari

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