Last Updated on February 28 2025, 11:21 am
Ferrari’s preseason progress: Test pace, power unit speculation and Hamilton’s adaptation as long runs with a throttled up power unit for Leclerc suggests a deliberate masking of true pace – As the second day of Formula One preseason testing in Bahrain came to an end, Red Bull’s Helmut Marko looked unimpressed as he studied the timesheets. His team’s name was absent from the top positions, almost a second down. However, the absence of Max Verstappen on track provided context – Liam Lawson had taken over the driving duties. Despite the relative lack of headline times, Marko acknowledged Ferrari’s strong presence, stating, “Ferrari looked very competitive…”
One of the focal points of the day was Lewis Hamilton’s steady accumulation of miles with Ferrari. The seven-time world champion, who is still adjusting to his new surroundings, showed promising pace, even though intermittent rain limited his track time to 45 laps. He was second quickest in the morning session, just 0.052s ahead of team-mate Charles Leclerc and 0.031s behind Carlos Sainz in the Williams.
However, while single lap times often grab the headlines, it was the long run data collected in the afternoon that provided the real insight. Leclerc ran a full race simulation, including two pit stops and runs on three different tyre compounds – C3, C2 and C1. The analysis showed that Ferrari was on average almost half a second per lap slower than Lando Norris in the McLaren. However, Ferrari’s strong pace in the first sector, which consisted mainly of straight sections, raised eyebrows. It suggested the possibility of a deliberately throttled engine – a not uncommon practice in testing to disguise true performance levels.
Leclerc remained cautious in his assessment of the day’s results, attributing the fluctuations in lap times to changing track conditions. “Today it was difficult to draw any clear conclusions because the conditions were constantly changing,” he admitted. Instead, he emphasised the importance of data analysis, noting that Ferrari would spend the evening dissecting the information gathered to optimise their approach for the final day of testing.
Will Hamilton get his Grand Prix simulation?
With Leclerc having completed his long-term evaluation, the focus on the final day of testing could shift to Hamilton. Ferrari could use the final opportunity to put him through a full Grand Prix simulation, allowing him to gain vital insight into tyre wear, fuel loads and race strategy execution in his new environment.
Hamilton’s performance in the morning session was particularly impressive, setting the overall fastest time. However, it is always difficult to interpret such results in testing, given the unknown variables such as fuel loads and engine modes. Nevertheless, his adaptation process appears to be progressing well, with visible steps forward in car set-up and comfort.
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Hamilton’s learning curve: Setup changes and adaptation
Hamilton admitted that his first day in the car was more about getting a feel for his new machine than making any significant changes to the set-up. “I didn’t change the set-up or anything, I just tried to get used to the car,” he explained. “Today I interacted a bit more with the engineer.
Getting used to a new car is never an easy process, especially after spending over a decade with one team. Even minor elements, such as brake balance and steering inputs, require recalibration. “At the moment there are still a few things we need to work out,” admitted Hamilton. “I’m getting better with every lap.
The Ferrari SF-25 is “different” to the Mercedes he drove for years, but Hamilton remains optimistic about its responsiveness. “I can already feel the car well under my bum,” he said with a grin, indicating that he’s starting to understand its characteristics. “It responds to my inputs. In that sense, today was a good day, with incremental steps on the set-up. But we still have a bit of work to do.”
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The complexity of Ferrari: Vasseur’s take on Hamilton’s integration
Ferrari Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur acknowledged that Hamilton’s transition is not just about driving the car – it is also about adapting to the team’s complex operational dynamics. One particular aspect that caught his attention was the complexity of Ferrari’s steering wheel, which he humorously likened to a “nuclear power station”.
“You have to get to grips with all the buttons, the software and also the people,” explained Vasseur in an interview with Canal+. “We have 1,500 people. He has to get to know the people he works with directly, and we have to build those relationships. It takes a while”.
Despite the steep learning curve, Vasseur is pleased with Hamilton’s integration process and emphasises the positive energy he has brought to the team. “Lewis has spent a lot of time at the factory meeting people,” he said, describing the transition as a “honeymoon”.
Vasseur refrained from drawing direct comparisons between Hamilton and outgoing Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz, but acknowledged that Hamilton’s vast experience provides the team with a fresh perspective. “He’s good for the team, good for F1 and he brings a breath of fresh air to us,” he said.
Ferrari’s high expectations: The presence of John Elkann
Ferrari’s commitment to its new star driver was further underlined by the presence of John Elkann, President of Ferrari, at the Bahrain test. Elkann played a key role in securing Hamilton’s move to the team and is not often seen at trackside events. His arrival was a powerful symbolic gesture, underlining Hamilton’s importance within the Ferrari organisation.
Hamilton appreciated the significance of the moment, highlighting the meticulous approach taken to integrate him into the team. “How something starts is often very important,” he reflected. “The last month couldn’t have been better. Every day was really important and it was all about laying the foundations.”
Despite the compressed timeframe between his announcement and his first laps in the SF-25, Hamilton insisted that Ferrari had not rushed the process. “We’ve taken the time we need, but we’ve also put in a lot of overtime. That’s what we’re here for, isn’t it?” he said. “I’m sure it will be worth it – the focus, the communication, the changes we’ve made. But there’s a lot more to come in the next six to eight months. It all feels seamless. I feel at home here.
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The early harmony between Hamilton and Leclerc – for now
One of the key narratives of Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari has been his relationship with Leclerc. While the pair have enjoyed a respectful dynamic so far, Vasseur admitted that their camaraderie could face challenges once the season gets underway.
“It’s always easy to be in a good mood until the first Grand Prix,” said Vasseur with a smile. “If there was a war now, I would have to change my job.
For now, however, the mood at Ferrari remains positive. “Everything is going very well at the moment,” Vasseur continued. “They get on well, they work well together. I think they’ve had enough time to get used to the idea that they’re teammates now. We announced it a year ago and they’ve been able to get to know each other without being direct competitors.
The real test of this partnership will come when race wins and championship ambitions are on the line. For now, Hamilton is still in the honeymoon phase with Ferrari, but as the season progresses, the intensity of competition will reveal the true nature of this dynamic.
Bottom line
Ferrari’s pre-season testing has been promising, with intriguing data suggesting that the team may not yet have reached the full potential of its power unit. Meanwhile, Hamilton’s adaptation process is progressing well and his feedback is already shaping the team’s approach.
With the final day of testing on the horizon, all eyes will be on Ferrari to see if Hamilton can get his full race simulation, and how the team will fare once competition begins in earnest.
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Of course testing is just testing and teams run different levels of fuel together with different power unit settings, yet there are aspects of the various kinds of runs the teams choose to make which give a much firmer kind of data.
Red Bull were handicapped by a water pressure problem which saw Liam Lawson miss out on some of the track time on day 2. Further, the team did not perform any long run race simulations which may be left to Max Verstappen tomorrow.
Yet in the afternoon McLaren (Lando Norris), Ferrari (Charles Leclerc) and Mercedes (Kimi Antonelli) all performed a number of race simulation long runs.
The headline from the data is that across a 57 lap Grand Prix in Bahrain, Lando Norris was an enormous 32.3 seconds ahead of Leclerc, with Antonelli a further 2.4 seconds behind.
The first thing to remember when considering Mercedes is that Kimi Antonelli being a rookie would probably be slower than George Russell and so the numbers from the Mercedes runs may well be…READ MORE ON THIS STORY
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
