A seventh-place finish in Suzuka, three positions behind his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, left Lewis Hamilton visibly frustrated. After the Japanese GP, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion openly spoke about a technical “deficit” that he believes has affected his performance since the beginning of the season with Ferrari and suggested the possibility that Lewis Hamilton’s and Charles Leclerc’s cars might be different.
Lewis Hamilton told the press in the Japanese paddock: “We found something on my car that underperformed in the first three races. I really hope it gets solved for the next one, and I can start getting better results.”
The British driver quantified the issue as more than a tenth per lap and added: “With what I had, today’s result is the best I could achieve.”
A matter of setup or technical disparity between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc?
Lewis Hamilton’s words inevitably fueled speculation about a potential technical disparity between the two SF-25s. But according to observers, the “deficit” he referred to might be linked to the different setup choices between the two sides of the Ferrari garage.
Already in Australia, Hamilton had fully relied on the team’s directions. In China, however, he had started to follow his own approach, achieving a brilliant pole and victory in the Sprint but then making a setup error for the main race. A mistake that came at a high cost, worsened by a disqualification for excessive plank wear under the car.
To avoid another disqualification, Ferrari adopted a more conservative approach to the ride height, which, however, compromised performance, as Hamilton himself confirmed to Sky: “We’re running higher than we’d like.”
The Brit also spoke of “underperformance at the rear,” further indicating that the balance of his car was not ideal compared to Leclerc’s, who had chosen more effective solutions suited to Suzuka’s characteristics.
Fred Vasseur clarifies doubts about Ferrari: “Personal choices”
Team principal Fred Vasseur ruled out any technical difference between the two cars: “The differences depend on the drivers’ preferences. We are still exploring the car and taking different directions to adapt to their styles.”
With new updates expected in Bahrain, including a possible change that will allow the SF-25 to be lowered without risks, Hamilton hopes to close the internal gap. “When the new component arrives, I hope the issue will disappear, and everything will be the same on both cars.” It is undeniable, however, that a hint of ambiguity slips through in his last sentence.
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