Lewis Hamilton has “exceeded expectations” at Ferrari but will struggle to “make a dent” at this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix, says Le Mans Series driver Jamie Chadwick.
Hamilton’s best result for the Scuderia across the first three races of 2025 was seventh place in Japan last Sunday. He came 10th on his team debut in Australia and was disqualified in China due to excessive plank wear after finishing sixth.
However, the seven-time world champion won the sprint race in China and said after the Japanese Grand Prix that Ferrari had now pinpointed an underperforming issue on their car that he hopes can lead to an improvement, with the Italian outfit 76 points behind McLaren in the Constructors’ Championship.
Hamilton revealed in Japan that Ferrari have ‘found something on the car that has been underperforming’
Chadwick told Sky Sports News about the Hamilton-Ferrari partnership: “I think it’s exceeded expectations in some ways.
“What we saw in China was definitely a big step in just two races to be performing like that. There’s so much new to him in this car.
“He’s talked about there potentially being a bit of an existing issue that’s been there in the last few races that’s kind of hindered performance a little bit.
Hamilton led from start to finish as he claimed his first victory with Ferrari in the Sprint at the Chinese Grand Prix
“[Bahrain] is a track he knows very well in that Ferrari from testing, so hopefully that gives them a bit of a better window to perform.
“But arguably, with the pace of the McLaren, it’s going to be hard for them to really make a dent.”
‘Bahrain track will suit McLaren’
McLaren won the first two Grands Prix of the season, with championship leader Lando Norris triumphing in Melbourne before Oscar Piastri secured victory in China.
Highlights from the Japanese Grand Prix as Max Verstappen held of McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen broke the Woking-based team’s monopoly by winning in Japan, with team principal Christian Horner describing the performance as “inch-perfect”.
The Dutchman snatched pole position with a Suzuka lap record and then held off Norris and Piastri in the race to win this Grands Prix for the fourth successive season.
Chadwick, though, feels McLaren could boss round four in Bahrain, where pre-season testing was held, adding: “It is a track that suits them.
Sky Sports F1’s Martin Brundle breaks down the best chances of winning the Bahrain Grand Prix.
“At pre-season testing, the conditions were quite different to what I think it’s going to be this weekend in much hotter conditions.
“Mercedes, for example, tend to run better in cooler conditions while McLaren are good in the hot conditions, so it will change a little bit who’s where, I think.
“The thing about Bahrain is everyone’s done loads of laps so it’s super close. Everyone’s quite dialled in, both the teams and drivers.
The F1 Show podcast panel discusses whether McLaren could have done more to help their drivers catch Verstappen at Suzuka
“I think the drivers can make a difference. If you make a mistake in the final moments of the last qualifying, then that will be the difference.
“Both of McLaren’s drivers are obviously very close but it’s about them putting it together. It’s going to be the same this weekend – who can execute the best.”
Sky Sports F1’s Bahrain GP Schedule
Thursday April 10
- 2pm: Drivers’ Press Conference
Friday April 11
- 8.50am: F3 Practice
- 10am: F2 Practice
- 12pm: Bahrain GP Practice One (session starts at 12.30pm)*
- 1.55pm: F3 Qualifying
- 2.40pm: F2 Qualifying
- 3.35pm: Bahrain GP Practice Two (session starts at 4pm)
- 5.15pm: The F1 Show
Saturday April 12
- 11.10am: F3 Sprint Race
- 1.15pm: Bahrain GP Practice Three (session starts at 1.30pm)
- 3.10pm: F2 Sprint
- 4.10pm: Bahrain GP Qualifying build-up
- 5pm: BAHRAIN GP QUALIFYING
- 7pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
Sunday April 13
- 10.50am: F3 Feature Race
- 12.20pm: F2 Feature Race
- 2.30pm: Bahrain GP build-up: Grand Prix Sunday
- 4pm: THE BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX
- 6pm: Bahrain GP reaction: Chequered Flag
- 7pm: Ted’s Notebook
*also live on Sky Sports Main Event
Formula 1 continues its triple-header in Sakhir for the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – No contract, cancel anytime
