Following his initial triumph as a Ferrari driver in the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race, Lewis Hamilton maintained a balanced perspective as he looked ahead to Saturday’s qualifying. He noted, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day,’ highlighting the need for time and gradual progress.
After a challenging start with Ferrari in Australia the previous weekend, where Hamilton expressed a lack of confidence and finished tenth in wet conditions, he demonstrated a significant turnaround during Saturday’s 19-lap sprint race.
In his post-race comments, Hamilton addressed critics who he felt underestimated the difficulties of changing teams. He stressed the significance of patience as he aims for further victories with Ferrari.
‘It was great to come here and feel comfortable in the car because in Melbourne I didn’t feel comfortable,’ Hamilton stated, referring to the criticisms he received regarding his team switch.
He further commented on the expectations, ‘I know the Tifosi, the fans, the team wants to win and I know it means everything to them. But as I mentioned before, Rome wasn’t built in a day. We will take it one step at a time, remaining focused and composed. These moments are exciting, but we need to maintain perspective.’
‘We will return to work and concentrate on qualifying this afternoon. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, this journey,’ he added, emphasizing the long-term nature of building success with Ferrari.
When asked about responding to critics with his performance, Hamilton clarified, ‘I’m not trying to directly respond to them. It’s just that negativity seems prevalent nowadays, even regarding minor matters. It’s a challenging aspect of the current global climate.’
Hamilton continued, ‘I notice certain individuals, some of whom I’ve long admired, making assumptions without full understanding. There’s a notable lack of appreciation for the complexity of transitioning to a new team with different operational methods and car characteristics. Success takes time to build, and that’s my focus with this team – gradual, sustainable progress.’
Reflecting on lessons from the Australian Grand Prix, Hamilton mentioned initiating discussions with his new race engineer, Riccardo Adami, early in the week to refine the car’s setup for China.
‘On Monday, I approached Riccardo and outlined my desired starting points for this weekend, aiming for a specific direction. I’m considerably happier with the adjustments,’ Hamilton explained.
‘These adjustments were based on tests in Bahrain during preseason, which we had slightly deviated from in Australia. Since yesterday, with these changes, I’ve felt a stronger connection with the car.’
‘I am still in the process of learning how to effectively use the tools to optimize the car’s performance to my preference. However, I am very pleased with the progress made so far.’
‘My understanding of the car’s requirements and how to enhance its speed has significantly improved.’
Rupert Caldwell