Lewis Hamilton has acknowledged that lacking the possibility to drive for Ferrari through the post-season Abu Dhabi F1 take a look at will pose extra challenges initially of the upcoming season. Regardless of this, the seven-time world champion has pledged to “do our greatest to get well” and adapt rapidly as soon as he will get behind the wheel of his new automobile.
In distinction to Carlos Sainz, who will take part within the Abu Dhabi take a look at with the Williams FW46 subsequent month, Hamilton is not going to have the chance to familiarize himself with Ferrari’s equipment till the New 12 months. This delay may impression his preparation and understanding of the automobile’s intricacies forward of the 2024 Method 1 season.
Mercedes group boss Toto Wolff supplied additional perception throughout the Las Vegas Grand Prix, explaining that on account of “contractual agreements with sponsors,” it will have been attainable for Lewis Hamilton to participate within the take a look at with Ferrari. Nevertheless, the choice to forgo the session could drive Lewis Hamilton and the group to deal with making up for misplaced time through the early phases of the season.
“Fred didn’t ask. I believe it’s a distinction additionally when you’re perhaps going to Williams, however we have now contractual agreements with sponsors.” – The Mercedes group principal defined final weekend – “We’re having a farewell for Lewis. We’re having a number of actions which can be deliberate. And him and I, we spoke about it shortly, and he mentioned, I suppose that’s not going to work. I don’t assume it’s going to work. And that was the entire thing. So I don’t assume Fred is especially unhappy.” – he identified through the Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend.
Hamilton is anticipated to have the chance to familiarize himself with the 2022 Ferrari throughout a personal session on the group’s Fiorano circuit earlier than pre-season testing formally begins. This outing may present useful early insights into the automobile’s dealing with and efficiency traits.
Forward of the upcoming Qatar Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton overtly acknowledged that not collaborating within the Abu Dhabi take a look at represents a setback. He admitted that this missed monitor time may create a drawback as preparations ramp up for the 2025 season, making the necessity for effectivity throughout pre-season testing much more crucial: “Am I lacking out on one thing? For certain. It positively delays the method and makes the beginning of the 12 months more durable, however we’ll do our greatest to get well.” – the longer term Ferrari driver defined.
The seven-time world champion disclosed that he by no means immediately requested Mercedes to permit him the chance to drive the 2024 Ferrari contender. Nevertheless, he conceded that, in hindsight, he acknowledged it was unlikely that such a request would have been granted. Regardless of the chance, Lewis Hamilton acknowledged that the scenario was most likely at all times going to unfold in a approach the place this explicit alternative was not realistically going to materialize.
“Look, I do know Fred needed it to occur,” he added. “For me, I used to be in two minds. Driving the purple automobile for the primary time in Abu Dhabi doesn’t excite me. In an ideal world, you’d get to drive it and never be seen and do the primary rollout subsequent 12 months. Once I did race it, clearly with Toto, that they had all these plans that I’ve received to go and see a few of the sponsors and say their farewells. So I don’t assume it was ever going to truly be allowed, even when I’d requested to have completed it. However as a result of I’m contracted to the group till December thirty first, and that’s completely tremendous. But it surely doesn’t hassle me, once more, as a result of I wasn’t going to do the take a look at. It’s not what I needed to do. I instructed Fred that’s not what I needed to do.” – the seven-time Method 1 world champion concluded.
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