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Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur addressed the issues Lewis Hamilton has been facing in the season so far with the drivability of the SF-25 for him. It has been said that the car is not fit for his driving style, which is hampering his chance of a competitive finish.
The issues have persisted for Hamilton throughout the triple header this month, resulting in subpar pace in Japan and Bahrain. Moreover, Saudi Arabia seems to be following the trend for the seven-time World Champion. His result in the second practice session wasn't promising, and he is only expecting to mark up a finish in the top 10, as he revealed.
Team principal Frederic Vasseur addressed the issues that the team is facing in terms of competitiveness. He mentioned an issue with the car's tire degradation, which he stated needs to be managed.
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"In the last GP we had improved, but we had not been constant enough throughout the weekend in all conditions; we had very good stints and others less. Now it's all about tire management in my opinion: there is potential in the car, we just have to do a better job," Vasseur said (via FormulaPassion).
He then discussed the issue that Lewis Hamilton is facing with the car. Acquainting himself with the SF-25 hasn't been easy, and other than his victory in the Sprint in China, the Briton has barely been competitive within the top. Vasseur confirmed that while he is facing issues with drivability, that is pretty much the case for other drivers on the grid as well. At the same time, he also feels it is the team's job to make the car more in accordance with Hamilton's style.
"The driving style issue? It's true for Lewis but it's true for everyone," he added. "Definitely [the pilots] they have to adapt their style to the track, the car setup, the balance and so on, but the team must do the same job in the opposite direction. We are working as a team with Lewis and Charles and we are all making progress together."
Lewis Hamilton sheds light on tire issues, reveals expectations for the race
As Frederic Vasseur mentioned, the car is facing issues with the tire warmup in Jeddah. This was apparent when Charles Leclerc was leading the grid on the medium tire but dropped to P4 on the softs.
Lewis Hamilton also pointed out an issue with the soft tire, claiming that there was a certain lack of grip on that particular tire compound. At the same time, he stated that the team isn't facing issues in itself, but the problem lies with the tire warmup.
"Not the greatest," Lewis Hamilton said about Friday in Jeddah (via F1). "I think getting the tyres working today was the issue from our side. It’s nothing to do with the team, it’s just we were struggling to get the tyres working."
Further, when asked about the possible finish he could have throughout the weekend, Hamilton sounded unsure as he hopes to finish within the top 10.
"I don’t know. For me, I’m just seeing if I can get in the top 10 at the moment," he added.
Other than his Sprint win, Lewis Hamilton's best finish this season came in Bahrain, where he finished P5. He has only scored 25 points in the season so far, but the team is expecting to develop through the course of the season, which could give him the edge.
