Lewis Hamilton must 'break his habits' to shine in Jeddah

Acclimatization of Lewis Hamilton to his new mount remains, for the moment, delicate. Nothing surprising: the seven-time world champion must adapt to his car Italian, very different from the German cars he drove for twelve years. So, forced to deal with a multitude of new habits to adopt, orchestrating this change brilliantly takes time.

However, the Briton is gradually beginning to find his feet, and his performance in Bahrain - ninth on the grid, fifth at the finish - shows a confidence that is gradually returning.

« Each driver has a particular driving style, explained the pilot Ferrari to the official Formula 1 channel. Of course, you adapt a little over time, but it's a radical change. I found things that worked in the last race, and the challenge will be to implement that everywhere, especially in qualifying, when you have to push to get that little extra. Sometimes I'm limited by my habits, and I have to get rid of them. »

The fifth round of the season is in Jeddah. On the Corniche circuit, a winding track where the track limits are walls, total confidence in your car is required to gain the last thousandths of a second to make the difference. So, the former rider Mercedes will be challenged to show his genius, particularly during qualifying, if he wants to climb onto his first podium with Ferrari, outside of Sprint.

Lewis Hamilton: "ItThis weekend, I focus on my driving »

On the other side of the garage, Charles Leclerc has started his eighth year in red and his riding is perfectly honed to his machine. Since the start of the season, apart from the Sprint in China during which Lewis Hamilton dominated the competition, the Englishman has suffered from the comparison with his teammate: 3-1 in favor of the Monegasque in qualifying.

« Charles has obviously been driving this car for a long time and his driving style fits it perfectly., confided the Briton. He loves to make the rear end slide. He likes cars with a lot of oversteer, which is really impressive. From the start of the weekend, he doesn't really modify the car; he and the team more or less know where to start thanks to previous years. »

This need to adapt quickly and be able to find the right setting from the start of the weekend is what Lewis Hamilton wants to focus on at the Corniche circuit. This weekend, I'm focusing on my riding style, circuit control, and rhythm. It's a circuit where, a bit like Monaco or Baku, you have to find your rhythm as early as possible and then improve step by step. So I have a lot of work to do to adapt my approach to the corners; it might take a little time, but I hope it won't be too long. »

As a reminder, Ferrari is still chasing its first podium finish in 2025. On the demanding Jeddah track, perhaps the experience of the red drivers will be the key to their success. The race will start on Sunday at 19:00 p.m. (French time).

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