Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton will lead from start to finish in the sprint race before China’s Grand Prix on Sunday.
Lewis Hamilton says he feels Ferrari’s first Formula One Sprint race win is a “mega” and hopes for more after qualifying for fifth place in China’s Grand Prix on Sunday.
The seven-time world champion led the start to finish on Saturday in a sprint in Ferrari’s second race after a disappointing 10th place in the Melbourne season opening last weekend with a stunning response to critics.
Briton, 40, has managed the tires brilliantly to take a checkered flag before McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, which will start Sunday’s Grand Prix at the pole, and Red Bull’s Max Barstappen in the 100km (62 miles) race.
It was the first time Ferrari and Hamilton, who joined from Mercedes in January, have won a sprint race since the shortened format was introduced in 2021.
“Starting with poles, starting from the start with Ferrari and winning with Ferrari is the next level. It’s a mega,” said the six-time winner of China’s Grand Prix.
“And I definitely didn’t think I’d have it in the second race.”
Hamilton said he and Ferrari weren’t ahead of themselves when they started the Grand Prix on Sunday. [fans] – The team wants to win, but that means everything, but Rome was not built in a day. ”
Britton felt that the qualifying laps in the main event were not the cleanest and tenths faster.
“Tonight I’m going to create a master plan for victory, and I’ll try and run it,” he said. “That’s where I think about it.”
Hamilton’s teammate Charles Leclerc finished fifth and said he set up the car slightly differently with the winner of 105 races on the other side of the garage.
“I wouldn’t really blame the car because Lewis does a great job,” Monegasque said.
“I’ve been really struggling with this track historically and this weekend is no exception. But that’s not an excuse, I need to respond and qualifying is going to be a good start to turn things around.”
Team boss Fred Vasser pinned the performance differences in how tires can be managed. This pointed out that Leclair is fighting to pass George Russell’s Mercedes, but is easy to do so from the front.
“As soon as you’re in the dirty air, you have a hard time overtaking,” Vasuzer said. “It’s much more difficult to manage.”
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