Lewis Hamilton disappoints with 10th place finish on Ferrari debut

In March 2025, Lewis Hamilton made his much-anticipated debut with Ferrari at the Australian Grand Prix, held in Melbourne. Hamilton qualified in eighth place, but difficulties persisted during the race as he faced challenges related to the car's handling in wet conditions. Despite showing promise initially by navigating through the field and briefly leading after others pitted for tire changes, strategic miscalculations by Ferrari and a lack of timely information about worsening weather negatively impacted his performance. He ultimately finished the race in 10th place, earning one championship point, while teammate Charles Leclerc placed eighth. The race began under wet conditions, with drivers starting on intermediate tires. Hamilton struggled to move up the grid, stuck behind Alex Albon of Williams for a substantial portion of the opening laps. Mid-race, a safety car bunched the field, creating an opportunity for Hamilton to improve his position. However, Ferrari's decision to keep him out on slick tires during a critical rain shower backfired as conditions worsened, leading to a lack of grip and eventual pitting that resulted in Hamilton falling from a potential podium position to fighting for points. As the race progressed, Hamilton experienced frustration, primarily with team strategy and communication. After being informed that he had lost positions, he expressed his dissatisfaction over team radio, remarking on the missed opportunity. This highlighted the difficulties he faced adjusting to his new team dynamics and the car's performance compared to previous seasons with Mercedes. The combination of a challenging strategy and poor communication left Hamilton feeling low on confidence following the race. Despite his struggles, Hamilton maintained that he learned a significant amount about the Ferrari car and its capabilities under different conditions. His comments suggest that while the debut was disappointing, it provided valuable insights into the areas Ferrari needs to improve moving forward in the season. While McLaren's Lando Norris took victory, Hamilton's performance indicated that there is a considerable gap to close in terms of competitiveness within the team, especially given the ambitious expectations surrounding his switch from Mercedes.