Lewis Hamilton confirmed that Ferrari had found a problem with their car, but hoped for a solution to the next race in Bahrain.
The seven-time F1 world champion, which qualified eighth on the net, completed the Japanese Grand Prix in seventh place after a largely unparalleled race in Suzuka.
With teammate Charles Leclerc finishing fourth, Ferrari still has a short time compared to Frontruners McLaren, as well as Mercedes and Max Verstappen’s Red Bull car. The Dutch claimed a victory on Sunday, before Lando Norris and Oscar PiaTri.
However, 40-year-old Hamilton looked out at the next race in Bahrain and confirmed that Ferrari had found an ‘underperforming’ component of the car that they wanted to fix.
“I did the best I could do today, I generally did not have achievement compared to the cars in front of me, especially Mercedes, Red Bull and McLaren,” he said Sky Sports F1.
“We found something underperforming the car, so if it’s right … I lose over a tenth shot. Qualification is clearly very important. ‘
Hamilton further focused on the issue, amid Paddock focused on the back of the car, said: ‘They are [the team] aware of that, they don’t know why [it’s happening.]
“If the new component comes, it will hopefully be gone. I am relatively happy with the race I had, good performance for the team, myself and Ricciardo [Adami, race engineer] Did a good job, back and forth. “
Hamilton was actually the only top 10 runner to set up a place in the entire race, and overtook Isack Hadjar early in racing driver Isack Hadjar.
Top -10 – Japanese Grand Prix
1.. Max Verstappen
2. Lando Norris
3.. Oscar plastri
4. Charles Leclerc
5. George Russell
6. Some Antonelli
7. Lewis Hamilton
8. Isack Hadjar
9. Alex Albon
10. Ollie Bearman
The Briton is now eighth in the championship, 47 points from leader Lando Norris after three rounds. While winning the sprinting race in China, he struggled in the first three Grands Prix. He finished 10th in Australia and was disqualified in Japan before the weekend.
“I really hope in the next race we will hopefully see positive changes,” Hamilton added.
‘Through the first three races, there was a little shortage between both sides of the garage on some elements of the car.
‘On my side, underperform. So it’s good to know. ‘
Lecler, meanwhile, also expressed concern about the general pace of the SF-25 after the first three races of the season.
“There was nothing in the car anymore … but it’s even more disappointing if you do everything you can and you are fourth,” he said.
‘The positive is that we maximize the weekend, the negative is that we did not have the pace.
“I’m confident for the rest of the year that I can maximize the car, but if it’s P4, it’s not great.”
Race Four of the 2025 season is in Bahrain next week (April 11-13).
