Lewis Hamilton is facing unexpected challenges with his Ferrari brakes, a situation he hasn’t encountered this season.
- During FP2 at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, both Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc struggled with brake performance.
- Hamilton highlighted how minor changes to the car unexpectedly led to major issues, setting him back.
- Leclerc described the warm-up brake performance as ‘horrendous’, highlighting the team’s ongoing struggles.
- Both drivers are cautiously optimistic for qualifying and race day, focusing on improving their pace.
Lewis Hamilton, a driver used to mastering the complexities of Formula 1, was caught off guard by brake troubles at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. This issue, which he had never faced previously this season, was shared by his teammate Charles Leclerc, who didn’t mince words, calling the brake performance ‘horrendous’.
The day started on a promising note for Hamilton. He was quite pleased with the car’s performance during the first practice session, feeling that a step forward had been made. However, things took a sharp turn in the second session. Minor changes, which were not expected to affect much, surprisingly resulted in significant brake issues. This was puzzling, as such an anomaly had not appeared earlier in the year.
Hamilton was quick to dismiss the idea that the problem was linked to transitioning from Mercedes’ Carbon Industrie brakes to Ferrari’s Brembo brakes. He noted that the problem was more about performance inconsistency rather than adaptation. Describing the situation as akin to rolling dice, Hamilton remarked that brake performance was unpredictable, adding to the weekend’s challenges.
Charles Leclerc mirrored Hamilton’s frustrations but maintained a realistic view of their prospects. He acknowledged the team’s struggle with qualifying pace, noting how critical it was on a track like Imola, where overtaking is notoriously difficult. Leclerc was positive about the car’s race pace but underlined the importance of improving their performance in qualifying to be competitive.
Both drivers remain hopeful for an improved performance, although challenges persist.
