By Ian Ransom
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur backed Lewis Hamilton to get into his stride quickly at the Italian outfit after the Briton made a slow start in his first free practice sessions at the Australian Grand Prix on Friday.
Hamilton managed only the 12th fastest lap in the first session at Albert Park, more than half a second slower than teammate Charles Leclerc, who was third quickest.
Seven-times world champion Hamilton had the fifth quickest time in the second outing but was still 0.42 seconds behind Leclerc, who topped the timesheets.
Speaking between the sessions, Vasseur said his team did not expect Hamilton to be “at the limit” in his first runs.
“It’s not a matter of speed. The target is for him to know everybody at the team, discover the software, the process, the system,” he told reporters.
“I think I’m really convinced that we have something very similar to Mercedes but at the end of the day perhaps not with the same name or the same way to use them. It’s just a learning process.”
Vasseur pointed to former Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz’s win at the previous year’s race at Albert Park, two days after managing only the eighth fastest lap in the first free practice.
“You can’t draw a conclusion after a first session. I have absolutely no doubt that (Hamilton) will be able to perform and to perform soon,” he said.
Hamilton’s switch from Mercedes has raised hopes among Ferrari fans of a first F1 title since the team won the 2008 constructors’ crown.
The 40-year-old Briton said it was “amazing” to get to work in the car on Friday but it had performed differently to what he had experienced before.
“The car doesn’t feel bad or anything, it just requires a different way of driving,” he told Sky.
“So it took a little bit of bedding in through P1 (first practice). P2 was definitely a little better but just building.
“Slowly building and getting faster, bit by bit.”
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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