Hamilton outspoken on where Ferrari are no match for mighty McLaren
Lewis Hamilton during the Dutch Grand Prix. Photo: Race Pictures
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A filmmaker with a soft spot for Ronnie Peterson, Gilles Villeneuve, Mika Hakkinen and above all, Tazio Nuvolari and Ayrton Senna, is also a diehard Formula One fan since the age of 4 (mid-90's). An avid researcher of the past of Grand Prix Racing since before it was even named F1, and with a thirst for knowledge of the ins and outs of the actuality of the sport, as well as for the technical aspects that define it, is a member of GPblog since 2023, where he has put his love of racing to good use.
McLaren have been in a league of their own throughout the Dutch GP weekend, and Lewis Hamilton believes he knows why, and, more importantly, the reason behind Ferrari's inability to match them.
At Zandvoort, aerodynamic load balanced with low drag is essential to maximising lap time, an area where McLaren rise above all other teams, says Hamilton in conversation with GPblog following qualifying for the Dutch Grand Prix.
McLaren’s might, Ferrari’s weakness
“The biggest limit for us I think it’s a combination of things, but I think ultimately we need more load to go through the corners as fast as McLaren here for some reason.
“Now is that aerodynamic load or is that coming from the tyres? Difficult to know. Maybe they’re getting the tyres in a different operating window to us potentially. Or it’s a combination of both.”
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Why Ferrari can’t match McLaren at Zandvoort
McLaren’s design is ultimately the most efficient of the whole grid, believes the British Ferrari driver.
“I mean, ultimately, I think McLaren definitely have more downforce than everybody, but then they’re not very draggy.
“So if we were to try and match them, we have to go up a couple of levels of wing, but have the efficiency of a lower wing.
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“And then it’s just a combination of getting the car to be more stable through corner,” Hamilton said, calling it a difficult endeavour, particularly at Zandvoort since its proximity to the seafront makes for a gust-affected location.
“I think the wind makes it really tricky. So you’ve got tailwinds into one and crosswinds in lots of different places. And I think this car [Ferrari SFB-25] is quite sensitive to wind,” Hamilton concluded.
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