Hamilton paid tribute to Ferrari workforce principal Frederic Vasseur, who was crucial in signing the Briton for Ferrari early in 2024, for his backing.
“Fred has been superior in supporting me,” he stated. “Final yr was a extremely, actually powerful yr for us, and begging him for sure modifications (within the workforce and automotive), and he pulled by means of, and he did these, and now I am seeing the fruits of that, and I will lastly ship for them.”
Hamilton’s end result, mixed with a tough race for Mercedes’ George Russell, moved the 41-year-old as much as second within the championship, 66 factors behind runaway chief Kimi Antonelli and two forward of his former Mercedes team-mate.
“I can not consider that I am second within the championship, and I am actually pleased and grateful for that, and I could not have performed that with out this workforce, with out the reliability that we now have,” he stated.
“It is nonetheless very early days within the season, so we simply need to maintain chasing. It is truly simpler to vary than it’s to defend, I might say, in life. And so whereas these guys are very, very excessive, we’ll maintain pushing, maintain chasing. I’ve little doubt at some stage we’ll get there.”
Hamilton ran second for a lot of the race and Ferrari managed to make sure his end result was not affected by a pit-lane rushing penalty, however he stated he was wowed by the efficiency of Antonelli’s Mercedes.
“I simply acquired to see him draw back,” Hamilton stated. “The efficiency they’ve is subsequent degree, so it was expertise as a result of it provides me a a lot better thought of the place I have to have the workforce lean and enhance, not solely from what I am feeling, however what I am seeing as nicely. And, yeah, there’s a lot of issues that we have to react to.
“Simply normal efficiency. Downforce-wise, clearly they’re above us, after which, clearly, the facility. For us right here, energy’s not such a problem. It is simply downforce.
“You may see simply on traction, these guys have been evening and day completely different to us. Hopefully we have some efficiency coming, and the fellows are working fairly arduous again within the manufacturing unit, so I hope that they are pleased with this end result.”
