Ferrari staff principal Fred Vasseur says the staff’s 2025 automotive is “ enchancment” on final yr’s automotive, regardless of an early finish to testing as a consequence of a difficulty for Lewis Hamilton.
Hamilton was participating in a race simulation when Ferrari introduced him into the storage for what it described as an anomaly on the telemetry, and he didn’t return to the observe because the staff began to pack up early. Though the take a look at ended on a low be aware, Vasseur says he believes the modifications revamped the winter — together with to the entrance suspension — have proven to be a step ahead.
“[Getting a clear read on the overall situation here in Bahrain has been hard] because the situations have been altering rather a lot daily and from the morning to the afternoon, so it was extra much like Vegas than to the Bahrain we often know,” Vasseur stated. “Over the previous six months we now have labored very onerous on this automotive and we now have made enchancment, however we should wait till we’re all on observe in Melbourne to grasp the place we’re.
“If we take a look at the hierarchy of earlier years, what we noticed right here was not the identical as in qualifying per week later, underneath the identical situations. We’ll go from 10-15 levels (Celsius) on the observe to the 45 we may have in Australia, so in Melbourne it’ll in all probability be an entire totally different story.
“We wish to battle for each championships as we all know we now have two drivers who can do it and the temper within the staff could be very constructive. We’ll proceed to work onerous to be prepared in two weeks’ time for the beginning of the season.”
Hamilton himself additionally says he was not overly pissed off by the stoppage on Friday afternoon, as he prepares for his debut race for Ferrari in Australia.
“General it’s been a fantastic few days and we’ve made some robust progress as a staff,” Hamilton stated. “We needed to end a bit sooner than deliberate right now, and the climate has been onerous to foretell all week, however that’s how testing works typically. We’ve managed to collect loads of good data to construct on earlier than the season begins.
“The entire staff has carried out an unimaginable job and I’m so excited to get to the primary race in Melbourne. I can’t wait to go racing with them.”
Though Hamilton is specializing in a brand new mission with Ferrari, there was an identical feeling of progress at Mercedes after George Russell topped the instances on the ultimate day of testing.
“We’ve had a strong three days of pre-season testing right here in Bahrain,” trackside engineering director Andrew Shovlin stated. “The staff has labored onerous over the winter to enhance on the weaknesses of the W15 and, from the preliminary indicators, we appear to have made good steps in these areas with our 2025 challenger.
“Regardless of a couple of purple flag interruptions and a few rain, we’ve managed to get via a lot of the program. It’s a testomony to the onerous work of everybody at Brackley and Brixworth that we have been in a position to full probably the most laps of any staff over the course of the take a look at.
“Over the following week, we are going to choose via that knowledge to evaluate areas of enchancment and to carry the simplest race automotive we will for the primary race in Melbourne in two weeks’ time. It’s after all far too early to make an correct prediction of the aggressive order. Nonetheless, we may be happy with how the take a look at has gone and stay up for heading to Australia to start the 2025 season.”
