Lewis Hamilton believes Ferrari are ‘well in contention’ despite Mercedes’ strong performance in Melbourne.
MELBOURNE, Australia — Lewis Hamilton is optimistic that Ferrari are “right in the fight” with Mercedes this season, despite his former team’s commanding performance at the Australian Grand Prix.
Hamilton secured a fourth-place finish, closely trailing Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, while Mercedes achieved a one-two finish, having occupied the front row of the grid on Saturday.
Ferrari made Mercedes work hard in the early stages, with Leclerc and Hamilton’s rapid starts allowing them to run in first and third positions alongside eventual race winner George Russell during the initial phase of the race.
“The team did a great job overall,” Hamilton remarked.
“There are many positives to take away. A few more laps and I would have overtaken Charles, so I know we can contend for podiums. We’re not as quick as Mercedes, but we’re definitely in the fight. We have a lot of work ahead to catch them, but it’s not unfeasible.”
Ferrari seemed to miss a chance to apply pressure on Mercedes strategically when they chose not to pit during an early virtual safety car period, while Russell and Kimi Antonelli both did pit.
Strategy has often been viewed as a vulnerability for the Ferrari team, and Hamilton indicated that a review will be necessary to determine if a different decision could have been made.
“I feel great,” he commented on his mood. “We achieved a third and fourth place, and ultimately Mercedes were faster than us.
“We need to assess whether pitting would have been a better option. I certainly believed we should have pitted, or at least one of us, to cover Mercedes. We will evaluate what we can improve.”
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Hamilton was also among the few drivers to express strong support for the new regulations following the first race.
F1’s shift towards a 50-50 balance of internal combustion and electrification has placed significant emphasis on battery management and energy conservation, which has already proven to be quite unpopular among drivers.
Hamilton, who previously expressed disdain for the so-called ground effect cars used in F1 between 2022 and 2025, was full of praise on Sunday evening.
“I personally enjoyed it. I found the race to be really enjoyable to drive. I thought the car was genuinely fun to handle.
“I observed the cars in front, and there was a good exchange of positions. So, yes. So far, so good.”
Source: espn.com
