After securing a podium finish at the Monaco Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton shared his thoughts on the ADUO values reportedly established by the FIA. The Ferrari driver explained that the development process required to close the gap to the frontrunners will take considerable time.
The seven-time Formula 1 world champion started the race from third on the grid, but Max Verstappen’s non-start allowed him to move into second place from the opening laps. Following the race, Hamilton reflected not only on Ferrari’s progress but also on the ADUO system introduced by the FIA.
Hamilton’s route to second place was far from straightforward. During his first pit stop, the British driver exceeded the pit-lane speed limit and received a five-second penalty. Ferrari later managed to neutralize the impact of that sanction when Lance Stroll’s accident triggered a Safety Car period. However, the decision to pit both Ferrari drivers together also compromised Charles Leclerc’s race, forcing the Monegasque driver to wait behind his teammate in the pit lane.
The race was then thrown into further chaos by Charles Leclerc’s incident, which resulted in a red flag after damage to the track surface near the Antony Noghès corner. Meanwhile, the first reports regarding the FIA’s ADUO allocations began to emerge, prompting Hamilton to address the topic in an interview with Sky Sports UK.
Hamilton: “It will take a lot of work to reach their level”
“I think yesterday or today the news came out that Red Bull has the most powerful engine, followed by Mercedes. Then there’s us, a bit further behind,” Lewis Hamilton explained. “So now we have these tokens available to try to develop the engine and close the gap. It’s a project that takes anywhere from eight to ten months. It’s not something we can just do next week. We’ll work as hard as we can to see how we can close that gap.”
According to the initial reports, Ferrari is expected to qualify for a 4% ADUO allowance, while one of the surprises is that Mercedes would also fall within the system with a 2% deficit. Meanwhile, RB Powertrains has reportedly been identified as having the strongest internal combustion engine.
When discussing his race performance, Lewis Hamilton was notably positive about Ferrari’s recent trajectory.
“From our side, I think we’ve made progress over the last few months,” he said. “We still can’t match their pace, and it will probably take a lot of work to get to their level, but getting another second place feels fantastic. Especially in Monaco, under the toughest conditions. They were the hardest conditions out there.”
“I’m very, very grateful to my team. After such a terrible year last season, I’m finally in a position where I’m reigniting the passion and confidence they had in me when I first joined. After the really difficult decline we experienced last year, it’s fantastic to see the determination within the team. They’re doing a great job. We still have a lot of work to do if we want to close that gap.”
Hamilton’s Monaco result also moved him back up to second place in the Drivers’ Championship standings with 90 points.
“I know, I can’t believe it!” the Briton said when informed of his position in the championship. “I feel really great!”
Looking ahead to the next round in Barcelona, however, the Ferrari driver remained realistic about the challenge facing his team.
“It will be difficult to beat them,” Lewis Hamilton admitted. “They’re simply on another level right now, and I’m genuinely happy for them. It’s my old family, my old team. When they are operating at their best, it’s really, really difficult for anyone to beat them.”
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