How Hamilton’s driving style compares to Leclerc, as he adapts to Ferrari F1 car

Lewis Hamilton says he has spent the early a part of Formulation 1’s 2025 Australian Grand Prix adjusting his driving fashion to swimsuit the necessities of the Ferrari automotive bundle he’s at present exploring.

Within the different SF-25, Charles Leclerc ended the opening day in Melbourne on the head of the occasions, but additionally with an enormous 0.42s hole to Hamilton in FP2, with the Briton having been adrift by 0.6s in FP1 (topped by McLaren’s Lando Norris).

Talking to F1 TV post-FP2, Hamilton stated his first day driving for Ferrari on an official F1 race weekend had “felt wonderful to get on the market and be in a Ferrari right here” after a “tremendous thrilling build-up to this week”.

“Truthfully, the automotive felt a lot completely different to what I’ve ever skilled coming to this monitor,” he added. “So, it took a little bit little bit of bedding in by means of FP1.

“FP2 is certainly a little bit higher however simply constructing. However we’re slowly constructing and getting a little bit bit sooner little by little.”

When ask to make clear what he meant about variations within the SF-25 he was feeling from the Mercedes bundle he used till 2024’s finish, Hamilton stated: “Simply completely different. Only a lot completely different.

“However the automotive does not really feel dangerous or something. It simply requires a distinct method of driving. So, [I’m] adjusting my driving fashion little by little, however having fun with driving.”

Hamilton’s driving fashion has beforehand consisted of two essential components.

One was sustaining braking stability when hitting the pedal very late that meant holding a automotive on the sting of under-rotation on nook entry, whereas he additionally places in loads of power by means of the entrance tyres through many tiny actions as a flip progresses – all of which mixes to depart the automotive transferring round significantly on the rear finish.

Traditionally, Hamilton had been in a position to dwell with this rear motion and preserve excessive cornering pace because of this.

He had stated on the finish of Bahrain pre-season testing that there was “fairly a bit to return” when it comes to his adaptation course of from Mercedes to Ferrari, which seems to be persevering with.

Leclerc, in the meantime, utilises a two-stage strategy in his driving fashion than could be described as ‘little flip, huge flip’ – particularly in medium- and lower-speed corners – that helps to scale back understeer.

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Photograph by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Pictures

This additionally helps with braking enter in the course of the last levels of nook strategy, however his fashion on the wheel is total a lot smoother than Hamilton’s.

“Truthfully, we did good preparation work as a result of the sensation with the automotive was good,” Leclerc stated of his and Ferrari’s work in Melbourne on Friday.

“There’s clearly issues that we have to enhance as all the time and I am not very pleased with the stability but, however we’re in a a lot better place in comparison with Bahrain testing. There’s nonetheless some efficiency to search out, however that is the identical for everyone within the paddock.

“These vehicles are fairly new for everybody. So you have to push it to know the place precisely the restrict is. But it surely’s been a stable first day. Now we have got to attend and see the way it goes tomorrow once we push a bit extra.”