Lewis Hamilton finished in second place on the second day of testing after setting the fastest time in the morning session.
The second day of testing ended with teams starting to reveal some of their cards despite the bizarre weather. McLaren showed a solid and consistent race pace that, at times, genuinely scared even the experts. However, the performance should be taken with a grain of salt since the engine mappings are unknown.
Ferrari has shown good pace but, so far, nothing extraordinary. Lewis Hamilton finished the day in second place after topping the morning session. The seven-time world champion shared his feelings with the press, here are his words: “It’s been another positive day for us here in Bahrain. We’re making great progress in understanding the SF-25 and learning how to get the most out of it, and so far, reliability has been good, which is always a positive sign.
We didn’t manage to complete as many laps as we hoped due to the weather, but tomorrow we’ll have more time on track to work on our program and gain more confidence with the car. I’m really enjoying working with the team, and we’re looking forward to pushing again one last time in these tests.”
Lewis then added: “It’s been two very positive days, although the weather limited me today, and I couldn’t complete all the planned laps. However, we managed to complete most of the program. I’m still exploring the car’s characteristics and getting settled into the team, considering I’ve only been here for a month. The excitement is very high, both inside the team and outside, and it’s incredible to feel this energy around me. It’s been a great start, with many positive aspects to build on, and everything seems to be heading in the right direction.
I don’t have a crystal ball, but I’m taking everything one day at a time. We’re focused on the work, trying to learn more about the car with every lap and every session. I feel more and more comfortable with the control systems, even though I’ve come from twelve years in a different team with different automations. I’m getting used to the suspension and the technologies we have here, as well as building a good relationship with my engineer. With each outing on track, we make small improvements. Given the time available, we couldn’t be further ahead, but considering drivers like Seb and Fernando started already in November, we’ve done a lot in a short time. It’s been great.”
Hamilton then went into more detail, discussing his first month and a half at Ferrari: “It’s too early to draw conclusions, but I really like the car! I’m building a connection with it, learning how it responds, and studying every detail, even the names of the components. I haven’t worked on the setup yet, but with my engineer, we are exploring various solutions. It’s an intense learning phase, but I’m experiencing it with enthusiasm. As for ‘Hammer Time,’ we haven’t discussed it yet, maybe we’ll find a different term in Italian!
Having a good group of people around is essential, and I’m happy to still have my team with me. Angela is back too, and having her with me on this new adventure is special. Red suits me, doesn’t it? It’s an honor to be part of such a historic team. The passion is palpable everywhere, from the fans to those working in the production of street cars. They’ve welcomed me so warmly, and I’m experiencing an extraordinary time, although very intense.”
And finally: “The first month couldn’t have gone better. We had to do a lot in a short time, but without rushing anything. I feel at home, and the integration process has gone smoothly. Now it’s about continuing to build. My relationship with Leclerc? He has enormous talent and works really well with the team. He’s been here a long time and knows every detail, so I can learn a lot from him. For now, I’m focusing on exploring the potential of the car and adapting to the new setups.
There’s still room for improvement, but every day I make progress. I’m not surprised by the attention my arrival at Ferrari has attracted. The combination of my name and this brand was bound to make some noise. But now, my only focus is to win. I have other projects in my life, but 99% of my concentration is here. This sport has changed my life, and I can’t wait to start the season. We’re working hard, and together with the engineers, we’ll do everything we can to reach our goals!”
Photo: X Scuderia Ferrari