Former Mercedes aide spills the beans on why Lewis Hamilton is struggling at Ferrari

Former Mercedes strategist James Vowles feels that one of many explanation why Lewis Hamilton is presently struggling at Ferrari is that he wants just a few components from the automobile to really feel ‘energy’. Vowles additionally claimed that Hamilton shall be performing on the similar stage as Charles Leclerc if he will get maintain of these components.

The seven-time F1 champion shocked the world final season when he introduced that he can be leaving Mercedes by the tip of the 12 months and shifting to Ferrari. The choice was a shocker, as the motive force had been part of the workforce since 2013. Lewis Hamilton joined the Italian workforce firstly of this season, and there have been very excessive expectations from the partnership.

The season has not gone in addition to the motive force would have hoped. On one aspect, the automobile is not so good as many would have hoped. On the similar time, Lewis Hamilton has struggled to maintain up with Charles Leclerc. The Brit has completed forward of his new teammate solely as soon as in a Grand Prix occasion, and it was a race the place Leclerc was closely compromised as a consequence of technique.

The query of Lewis Hamilton’s struggles was put to his former aide at Mercedes, James Vowles, throughout the pre-race press convention forward of the Austrian Grand Prix. Now a workforce principal at Williams, Vowles revealed that there are just a few components that the 7x F1 champion depends on to achieve confidence within the automobile. He mentioned:

“Lewis has some components he wants from a automobile to really feel energy from it, after which it’s a confidence construct from him that he then is ready to generate from then onwards. And I can see it in what’s happening. He hasn’t fairly received that but.”

He added:

“However I’ve zero doubt that he shall be on the tempo and there. And you’ll see at instances the place he’s assured, he and Charles are like this [used fingers to signal a small gap].”

James Vowles feels Lewis Hamilton’s tempo in Miami is an efficient instance

In the identical press convention, Williams’ boss additionally pointed to Lewis Hamilton’s tempo at Miami in comparison with Charles Leclerc as a superb instance of what the motive force was able to. In the principle race, the Brit was on softer tires in comparison with his teammate and was hanging on to him fairly comfortably regardless of ranging from twelfth place on the grid.

There was even a second the place he was pleading with Ferrari that he must be let by way of Leclerc in order that he may assault Kimi Antonelli forward. Vowles mentioned,

“Miami is an efficient instance, he was pushing Charles forward of him. It’s simply not constantly there, weekend on weekend, however once you’re on this, and you may see it with Carlos, you possibly can see with anybody that’s adapting to those vehicles and altering, there’s a lot to maintain on prime of and study because of it. It’s all doable. It’s all adaption.”

Lewis Hamilton has revealed that the 2026 Ferrari challenger can be extra consistent with his driving model. It is going to, nonetheless, be attention-grabbing to see how the motive force finishes this season in comparison with his teammate.