Lewis Hamilton believes his fourth-place finish at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix is a sign that Ferrari will soon be in a position to win races.
Hamilton recovered from qualifying 12th at Imola with an impressive Sunday drive, taking advantage of a Virtual Safety Car and a Safety Car before passing George Russell, Alex Albon and Charles Leclerc in the closing stages to finish behind winner Max Verstappen and the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
“Let’s keep pushing,” he said over team radio after his first race in Italy for the team as he waved to the Tifosi.
“If we can get that qualifying better and we can race like that then we’ll be winning.”
Ferrari had hoped that upgrades to the rear corner and rear wing would boost their pace at Imola, but both Hamilton and Leclerc struggled with their tyres in qualifying and didn’t make it into Q3.
The seven-time world champion admitted Saturday was “devastating” for the team and he was not hopeful of challenging for significant points in Sunday’s race.
Those hopes were dented further when he slipped behind Kimi Antonelli at the start, but he benefitted from a longer first stint than many of his rivals and then enjoyed fresh tyres following a Safety Car to propel himself from seventh to fourth late on.
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Highlights of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix from Imola
“We didn’t expect the result that we had today,” Hamilton told Sky Sports.
“We came into the weekend very hopeful and there was a small fix that came for a component that we were hoping was going to help us progress – which it did.
“Then we went into qualifying and to be out of Q3 was tough to swallow, but I came in today and everyone’s heads were high and super driven.
“They did such a fantastic job with the strategy. The timing was right, calm and concise and clear – and I felt I won with the car.”
Hamilton had expressed frustration with Ferrari’s strategy at the previous race in Miami when he felt they had delayed a crucial call to let him pass Leclerc.
But Ferrari got the big calls right at Imola for Hamilton, who felt he might have challenged the top three if Antonelli’s car had been cleared more quickly during the Safety Car period.
“It felt so great to finally get the set-up right and to have that bond with the car throughout the race,” he said.
“I’m ecstatic. It would have been great to have had some more laps and challenged for a podium.”
He added: “I think we’re slowly getting there and I think me and [race engineer Riccardo Adami] did a fantastic job with his communication with me.
“I was calm, so then I think he was calm, and the team were calm and executing the strategy, and the pit stops were awesome.”
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Sky F1’s Ted Kravitz reflects on all the big talking points from the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
Villeneuve: Ferrari pace was not there
However, Sky Sports’ expert Jacques Villeneuve did not share Hamilton’s optimism that Ferrari might have a race-winning car this season.
The 1997 world champion feels Saturday’s qualifying pace was a better indicator of the challenges facing the team.
“The qualifying was not because they messed up, the pace simply was not there,” Villeneuve said.
“So you can’t have a turnaround with that. You still need the whole card, the whole team, it needs to get better.
“Obviously, as we saw today, Lewis is capable when it’s there. When there’s an occasion, he rises like he did today.”
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur was also cautious about reading too much into their future prospects following Hamilton’s drive.
“We have to stop this where if Lewis has a good weekend everything is perfect or if it’s not a good weekend, everything is a disaster,” he told reporters after the race.
“We have to take it easy, stay calm and work together. I’m very pleased with the job done by everyone in the team today.
“Lewis and Charles did a good job, strategy did a good job. The only way for us to come back is to work as a team.”
Next up in F1’s European triple-header is the Jewel in the Crown, the Monaco Grand Prix on May 23-25, with coverage starting this Friday live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime
