Ferrari’s Spanish Grand Prix weekend began with an important technical development inside the Maranello garage. Charles Leclerc has decided to adopt the same braking configuration used by Lewis Hamilton, moving away from Brembo brake discs in favour of those supplied by French manufacturer Carbon Industrie.
Speaking in Ferrari’s hospitality area, Lewis Hamilton revealed that the change had been under discussion for quite some time and explained that both Ferrari drivers had already evaluated the solution earlier in the season.
“It’s something I asked for a long time ago,” Lewis Hamilton said. “Charles initially didn’t want it and chose the configuration he has raced with until now. But he has changed his mind.”
According to the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion, the decision was not simply about changing a single component but rather part of a much broader effort to maximise performance throughout the car.
“There has been a huge amount of work behind this. I analysed every single element available to us to understand how we could improve,” he explained.
Lewis Hamilton praises Ferrari’s return to innovation
Lewis Hamilton also spoke enthusiastically about what he sees as a renewed culture of innovation within Ferrari. The Briton suggested that the team has become far more proactive in introducing new ideas compared to previous seasons.
“Ferrari should be the team that innovates the most. The team that everyone else tries to copy,” he said. “Last year was difficult. I knew what was needed to become more competitive, and I explained it in every possible way. Knowing that I couldn’t intervene because we had to wait until the following year was frustrating.”
Now, however, he believes the situation has changed significantly: “It’s fantastic to be in a different period. This year you see us arriving at the track with innovative solutions, and it’s the other teams that are following us. And I can assure you that many more developments are on the way.”
The comments underline Ferrari’s confidence that the SF-26 development programme is moving in the right direction as the team continues its efforts to close the gap to the front.
Lewis Hamilton surprised by ADUO report
Hamilton also addressed the ADUO report which, according to information first revealed by AutoRacer, is expected to place Red Bull as the benchmark reference team from a performance perspective.
The Ferrari driver admitted that the news came as a surprise.
“Honestly, it’s surprising,” Lewis Hamilton said. “Especially because Red Bull and Mercedes are not exactly close. They have clearly produced an engine that very few people expected, particularly in such a short period of time, although I have heard that some engineers moved from Mercedes to Red Bull.”
The Briton’s comments suggest that Red Bull’s progress with its power unit programme has caught the attention of rivals throughout the paddock, especially given the significance of engine performance under the current regulations.
A happier and more confident Lewis Hamilton
Perhaps most notably, Lewis Hamilton appeared relaxed and optimistic when discussing his current situation at Ferrari. The 41-year-old highlighted the strong relationship he has built with the team over the past year and credited team principal Fred Vasseur for helping create an environment where he can perform at his best.
“The relationship between me and the team is better than ever. Of course, it took a year to really get to know each other, but now we are more aligned than ever,” he explained. “Fred helped me enormously in changing things, and reaching this point has freed my mind and allowed me to focus on doing what I do best.”
Before ending the press conference, Lewis Hamilton also briefly turned his attention away from Formula 1 and towards England’s upcoming FIFA World Cup campaign.
“It’s difficult to make predictions. I don’t follow football that closely; I prefer surfing or the NFL. But I’ll check in from time to time and keep an eye on my team. I just hope they don’t come home too early, as usually happens. I’m also looking forward to watching the guys in yellow — Brazil!”
As Ferrari introduces new technical solutions and continues to strengthen its internal structure, Lewis Hamilton’s comments paint the picture of a driver who feels increasingly comfortable within the Scuderia and increasingly optimistic about the team’s future direction.
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