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Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur does not think Lewis Hamilton is going to make another step in terms of performance but feels there would be incremental improvements made by the driver as he gets used to the car at Ferrari. The 7x F1 world champion shocked the world last season when he announced that he was making a move to the Italian team from Mercedes.
He had been with the German team since 2013 and has won as many as six F1 world titles. The decision came as a surprise but once the shock factor dissipated, the anticipation took over. Hamilton, the most successful driver in F1 history, teaming up with Ferrari, the most successful team appeared to be a match made in heaven.
The partnership has, however, got off to a rocky start. Hamilton finished P10 in the first race of the season in Australia. He won the sprint in China but then in the race was disqualified due to technical infringements.
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Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari means that the driver has a lot of things to get on top of. There's an entirely new team with a different culture and then there's a completely different power unit as well. After a good sprint but an underwhelming race, Fred Vasseur was questioned if he felt that the driver is still to make another step in terms of performance to which he replied in the negative and said (via PlanetF1):
“I don’t imagine that he [Lewis Hamilton] will do a step. I think it’s more the usage of the car, that sometimes he’s still asking about some functions and so. I think he was much more comfortable, perhaps something that you know when you are under control, but it’s not a drama."
He added:
“You didn’t ask the same question yesterday after the Sprint race, that he was in front and it was magic. And so it means that we have to stay calm in any situation. It’s why yesterday, after the Sprint race, I said that we were not World Champion, because I think it will be like this all the season, with up and down."
Lewis Hamilton's boss on the very close nature of the grid
Fred Vasseur further expanded on how shrunk the field is at the moment and the gaps are very small between respective teams. Talking about how there was virtually nothing to choose from in the first 20 laps, Lewis Hamilton's team boss said:
“If you have a look after 20 laps, we are all in four seconds, it means that we are speaking about one tenth a lap or one tenth and half a lap. It means that for different reasons, the good usage of the tyres, and I think it’s key, but it was key the last part of the season last year, or whatever reason, balance and so, we will move from P6 to P1 or P1 to P6. You have tons of examples from the beginning of the season about this.”
Lewis Hamilton's start to Ferrari has been been intriguing as there are things that have worked for him but at the same time, the race performances have not been as good. It will be interesting to see how things go in the next few races to form a more informed opinion.
