Latest news with #FerrariFormulaOne
Newsweek
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Ferrari Faces Time Crunch to Solve Hamilton's Car Setup Before Hungarian GP
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Ferrari Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton has revealed that his team has just one day before the Hungarian Grand Prix to find the perfect setup on his SF-25 F1 car. Hamilton complained of balance problems after the first two free practice sessions on Friday and suggested that tire temperatures may have also contributed to the issue. Hamilton comes off the back of a positive race weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, where he finished P7 after starting the race from the pit lane. However, the start of the race weekend at the Hungaroring has not been in line with his expectations, after he finished P6 in FP2. His teammate Charles Leclerc has higher chances of securing a podium finish after finishing third in both practice 1 and 2. Speaking to the media after the second practice, Hamilton said: "Today was not a good day for me. Big, big struggle with the balance of the car and yeah, a lot different to the previous years I've been here." Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Scuderia Ferrari looks on in the Drivers Press Conference during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on July 24, 2025 in Spa,... Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Scuderia Ferrari looks on in the Drivers Press Conference during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on July 24, 2025 in Spa, Belgium. MoreWhen asked about the problem, the seven-time world champion elaborated: "We tried two different tried rectifying some of the balance problems we had in P1. We changed the car for P2, and it's just inconsistent, very, very inconsistent balance from corner to corner. "So you can't say it's just understeer. You can't just say it's oversteer. It's just far from being on rails and very, very out of balance. But I think it's probably something to do with maybe tyre temperatures or something. So we're gonna try and figure that out for tomorrow." Asked if he would be able to match Leclerc's pace in qualifying, Hamilton highlighted that Leclerc is more comfortable with the SF-25 and thus ruled himself out of a potential podium finish. He said: "I mean, Charles has been quick today. I mean, he's been generally happy with the car. For me, I'm quite far off, so I highly, highly doubt it." Leclerc, however, is focusing on beating the dominant McLarens driven by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. Speaking on the chance of out-qualifying them, he said: "It's going to be very tough. They seem to be a step forward. But never say never. I mean, the feeling with the car has been pretty positive so far. We've got to do some steps more in the right direction for tomorrow, but, but for now, the feeling is good." He added: "I hope we can do something better than P3."
Newsweek
29-07-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Lewis Hamilton Teases 'Struck The Match' Announcement With 08.08 Suspense
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Ferrari Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton has teased an upcoming announcement on Instagram, scheduled for 8th August. This comes a day after the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, leaving fans guessing what the announcement could be. The race at Spa saw the seven-time world champion start from the pit lane after Ferrari fitted his SF-25 F1 car with a new power unit in parc ferme. Despite the setback, Hamilton worked his way through the pack, recovering several positions to cross the finish line in P7. His latest post on Instagram suggests he is hinting at something away from the world of F1. The Briton has invested in several business ventures and is also involved in social causes for the upliftment of the underprivileged. Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Scuderia Ferrari arrives in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on June 12, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec. Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Scuderia Ferrari arrives in the Paddock during previews ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on June 12, 2025 in Montreal, reel uploaded by Hamilton, titled "We've struck the match. Now follow the smoke ~" has received upwards of 150,000 likes. The video in question shows flashing images of volcanoes, rocks, a vase, random blocks and objects, and a momentary text card in the center with the phrase 'volcanic mineral-rich ritualistic.' Not to forget the matchbox with the date 08.08. Hamilton's symbolic tease impressed many fans, with many suggesting that this could be something to do with his premium non-alcoholic Blue Agave-based beverage made in Jalisco, called Almave.
Newsweek
27-07-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Lewis Hamilton Reveals New Race Engineer Added to Spa Belgian GP Struggle
Ferrari Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton has credited the overnight changes to his SF-25 F1 car for helping him secure P7 at the Belgian Grand Prix. Hamilton started the race from pit lane after adjustments were made to his car in parc ferme, but he recovered positions swiftly during the race to score points. Revealing he also had a new race engineer for the weekend, this only added to a difficult weekend. Ferrari entered Spa with an upgrade package, but Hamilton faced issues in the sprint race and qualifying. However, he sounded positive about his car after the Belgian GP that saw him charge his way through the pack in the early stages of the race on intermediate tires. The race start was delayed by nearly an hour due to rain. Despite a wet Spa-Francorchamps, the seven-time world champion's confidence and experience propelled him forward. Ferrari also made a quick call to pit him first after the racing line began to dry, switching to medium tires before the other drivers, which gave him an extra edge. Hamilton started the race in the pit lane after Ferrari breached parc ferme conditions following the qualifying session to fit his car with a new internal combustion engine, MGU-H, MGU-K, energy store, turbocharger, control electronics, and exhaust. Speaking on starting at the back after making overnight changes to his SF-25, the Briton said: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Scuderia Ferrari on the drivers parade prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit on July 06, 2025 in Northampton, England. Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Scuderia Ferrari on the drivers parade prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit on July 06, 2025 in Northampton, England."Obviously, massively challenging being all the way back there, but I made some changes overnight. So much in the build-up to this week, obviously with the upgrade that we have — there's basically two elements to it, and one of those elements we had to test back in Montreal, but I didn't end up testing it. "Charles ended up testing it and ended up using it for part of it for a couple of races, so he's definitely — he did a great job today and he's feeling more acclimatized. For me, it was the first time using it, and that spin that we had caught me out [in sprint qualifying] because we also had a change of engineer, so we were both in the deep end basically, and I think we did a really good job overnight to rectify some of those, tweak it, fine-tune it, and the car was so much better today to drive. So I had a lot of fun trying to make my way through." The previous round at Silverstone saw Hamilton point out the danger involved while racing under reduced visibility due to the spray from the rain. Addressing the delayed race start at Spa, Hamilton explained that the FIA was too cautious about it this time. He said: "We obviously started the race a little bit too late, I would say. I kept shouting, like, "It's ready to go, it's ready to go," and they kept going round and round and around [during the safety car]. So I think they were probably overreacting from the last race where we asked them not to restart the race too early because the visibility was bad, and I think this weekend they just went a bit too much the other way because we didn't need a rolling start." Hamilton's teammate, Charles Leclerc, secured a podium finish in P3. Adding that the car had been improving, the 40-year-old driver said: "We outscored Mercedes some points, which was great. Charles did a great job. Clearly the car is improving because Charles was able to hold on to another podium, and so I'm still gonna work hard next week to try and get across."
Newsweek
23-07-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Ferrari F1 Team Principal Details Belgian GP Approach With New Upgrade Package
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Ferrari Formula One team principal Fred Vasseur has spoken about his team's strategy for this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, given the reduced number of practice sessions due to the sprint race. Additionally, Ferrari is introducing a new upgrade package for the SF-25 F1 car, and as a result, it will have to get its setup right in the first practice session. With the race at Spa-Francorchamps being a sprint weekend, teams will have a single practice session on Friday before sprint qualifying, and Ferrari will aim to fine-tune the SF-25's setup quickly for both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. The Belgian GP sprint race will take place on Saturday, followed by the qualifying session for Sunday's main race. Ferrari could be more confident going into this weekend, since it reportedly tested a new rear suspension last week that likely addresses the SF-25's ride height problems. The test would have also been beneficial in shortlisting an ideal setup for the race weekend, given the tight schedule. Vasseur stressed that Ferrari team members back at the Maranello factory have worked hard to bring in a timely upgrade package for the race at Spa. Revealing that the team will have to be on its toes from the first practice session, he said: Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur on the grid during the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on July 28, 2024 in Spa, Belgium. Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur on the grid during the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on July 28, 2024 in Spa, Belgium."We have worked hard at the factory to bring an additional upgrade package for the SF-25. Therefore, a point of focus this weekend will be to make sure we maximise its potential from the get-go. "As always with a Sprint weekend, getting off to a strong start with a smooth free practice session will hold the key to the rest of the weekend. "The margins between the teams are very close at the moment, therefore, every small detail can make the difference, so we'll stay focused on ourselves to give our best in every phase of the weekend, on a track where the weather could also play its part." The Belgian GP could play out as a wet race given a 60 percent chance of rain on Sunday afternoon, a point that could raise alarms for Hamilton. The seven-time world champion admitted after the previous race at Silverstone that the SF-25 was difficult to drive in such conditions. He said: "The tires dropped off massively. The car was unbelievably tricky to drive. "I think ultimately I learned a lot today. It's only my second time driving in this car, and I can't even express to you how hard it is. "It's not a car that likes those conditions, but having lots of data to take from this, for me it's worth a sit down with the people that designed the car for this year, because there's elements of this car that can never be changed." Perhaps, the new suspension could make all the difference Hamilton is looking for, but only time will tell.
Newsweek
29-06-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Ferrari Makes Last Minute Change After Team Boss Departs Austria
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The Ferrari Formula One team has had to make a last-minute change in its leadership after team principal Fred Vasseur urgently left for his home due to personal reasons. As a result, Ferrari has declared deputy team principal Jerome d'Ambrosio as the team boss for the race at the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring. A statement from Ferrari read: "Fred will not be at the track today, because he has had to return home for personal reasons. "Deputy team principal, Jerome d'Ambrosio, will stand in for him." Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur on the grid during the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on July 28, 2024 in Spa, Belgium. Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur on the grid during the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on July 28, 2024 in Spa, change occurs nearly a day after an impressive qualifying session for Ferrari, where Charles Leclerc secured the second place, while Lewis Hamilton will start from the fourth position. Seven-time world champion Hamilton noted an improvement in his SF25 F1 car on Saturday, describing his qualifying run as one of the best so far this season. He said: "Definitely made some progress overnight, so I'm much happier with the car, the FP3. The direction we went, I think, has been really positive. And I think edging closer in terms of performance to Charles, who's really, really used to the car, he hardly ever changes it. So I think that's really positive. "I think also I had more time in the lap. I was nearly three tenths up going into turn six and I had a massive snap in it. And then I came across a line 0.06 up, so that would have put me second. So there's positives in it for sure, and I think operationally the team did a really great job today. It's the best qualifying process operationally that we've done." The praise comes after Ferrari installed a new floor on the car to enhance its performance. Hamilton added: "Yeah, you guys have definitely been able to extract more from the floor. It was a really small step. First you get from having a new, there's degradation in floors, so a new floor is always a little bit better. And then on top of that, the step of improvement in performance. And so I'm really thankful to the team back at the factory for the work that we're able to do today." When asked if this was a turning point, given the car feels much better, he said: "I don't know. I don't really know. I hope we can take this performance through to Silverstone, and be in a mix and find out what we can also do. And I think for me, I'm just continuing to keep my head down, continuing to work away. The fact is, every time I go to a track, it's a new character to the car at that track. "When I started it on Friday, I was like, shoot, this is so different to what I raced here last year. You'd be just so surprised at the different way you have to set things, and the different way you have to turn the car through corners. But I think I've got to tell the rest of the team. Obviously, the last lap wasn't good enough, but I'm working on it."
