So, the deal with Lewis Hamilton lately has been pretty rough to watch. Like, seriously painful. The guy’s a seven-time world champion, right? You’d think he’d be all sunshine and rainbows, but nah. His vibe has been so down in the dumps this season. At first, he was all pumped up about the challenge of joining Ferrari, spreading that good energy around like confetti. But now? It’s like all that positivity has vanished into thin air as he struggles to get the hang of his new ride.
After the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Hamilton was feeling pretty low. He had a glimmer of hope in Bahrain the week before, but couldn’t quite capitalize on it. And then he went on to say he didn’t expect much improvement in the two weeks between races, predicting a tough time in Miami and maybe the whole year ahead. Talk about a bummer, right?
In his own words, Hamilton spilled the beans on his struggles, saying, “Lots of different things. There’s not one particular.” He went on to compare his current situation to when he first joined Mercedes, finding it tough to sync up with a new set of engineers who were used to working with a different driver and driving style. It’s like a recipe for disaster, mixing different ingredients and expecting a gourmet meal, you know?
Even though Hamilton tried to keep his chin up about being part of the Ferrari squad and appreciated the support he was getting, it was clear that his spark from the beginning of the season had fizzled out. And you know who shed some light on Hamilton’s uphill battle? Carlos Sainz, the very driver Hamilton was referring to as the one the engineers were used to working with.
Sainz, from his perspective at Williams, understood the struggle Hamilton was facing trying to adapt to the Ferrari SF-25 and keep up with his teammate, Leclerc. He wasn’t surprised at all about Hamilton’s rough patch, knowing firsthand how tough it can be to step into a new team and hit the ground running. It’s like expecting to walk before you can crawl, you know?
The thing is, Sainz believes that each driver needs their own sweet time to adapt to a new car and team dynamics. It’s not a one-size-fits-all situation, and you can’t rush the process. You gotta let it marinate like a fine wine, getting better with time. Sainz himself struggled in the beginning but started to find his groove in the past few races, showing that patience and persistence pay off in the end.
According to Sainz, the current F1 cars are a whole different ball game, demanding a specific driving style to unlock their full potential. It’s not like before, where you could wiggle your way to a good lap time with different approaches. Now, it’s all about finding that one true path to speed and sticking to it like glue. Sounds like a real puzzle to solve, doesn’t it?
But will Hamilton keep struggling until the next season with new rules kicks in? Sainz doesn’t think so. He reckons there are tons of adjustments you can make to an F1 car to suit your preferences, like tweaking the engine braking, for example. It’s like having a bag of tricks up your sleeve, trying out different things until you strike gold.
So, who knows when Hamilton will have his “aha” moment in his Ferrari? Sainz is out there hunting for his own breakthrough, confident that the spark will return for the seasoned driver. It’s all about the journey, right? Just gotta keep pushing forward, experimenting, and enjoying the ride.
