Lewis Hamilton has expressed his desire for Ferrari to steer clear of making “silly decisions” after experiencing an unexpected practice session at the Mexican Grand Prix. In the first practice session, Hamilton stepped in for Antonio Fuoco, but returned for the second session where he managed to clock the fifth-fastest time, finishing just 0.300 seconds behind leader Max Verstappen.
During the session, which took place under low grip conditions typical of Mexico City’s altitude, Hamilton noted that despite the struggles, the performance from Ferrari was not as disastrous as it could have been. He emphasized the importance of careful analysis of data before the upcoming Free Practice 3, stating, “We don’t want to be silly with the decisions.”
Reflecting on the challenges, Hamilton remarked, “I’m surprised how relatively close we are, given how not great it felt.” He acknowledged the habitual low grip level at the track due to its altitude, noting that the experience was compounded by high downforce setups which made the car feel slippery and unsettled. “It wasn’t disastrous but the car was sliding around a lot,” he added, indicating the need for finding a more balanced setup.
Hamilton remained optimistic about the team’s potential, revealing that while the long run balance was acceptable, there is still untapped speed to be found in the car. He conveyed confidence in the team’s ability to analyze the data and refine their approach, hoping to extract more performance from the tires in the coming sessions. His focus on improvement and strategy reflects a positive mindset as the race weekend continues.