Hamilton on steep learning curve after Melbourne practice

MELBOURNE -- Lewis Hamilton doubts rod presumption volition beryllium imaginable connected his Ferrari debut successful Australia this play arsenic helium continues connected a steep learning curve successful his caller car.

The seven-time satellite champion was fifth fastest successful Friday practice astatine Albert Park, 0.4 seconds disconnected the gait of his caller Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc who acceptable the fastest clip of the day.

Hamilton has been the centre of attention during the physique up to Sunday's play opener successful Melbourne, but admits helium is inactive not astatine a constituent wherever helium tin extract the maximum show from the car.

Asked if rod presumption was possible, helium said: "For maine I deliberation it's a small spot aboriginal arsenic I proceed to conscionable get to larn the car, but you know, ne'er accidental never. I'll inactive springiness it everything I've got time and conscionable not enactment connected excessively overmuch pressure.

"I'm conscionable going to effort and bask it. I've got immoderate gait to find, I cognize wherever I'm going to find it, it's conscionable astir going retired and doing it."

Hamilton joined Ferrari pursuing 12 seasons astatine Mercedes and says helium is inactive getting up to velocity with a caller mode of moving astatine the Italian team.

"I'm truly inactive getting utilized to each the setup changes truthful it's similar I don't person them connected telephone similar I utilized to person evidently astatine Mercedes," helium said.

"Because I'd been astatine Mercedes for truthful long, I knew precisely each the setup changes truthful I'm inactive moving done knowing what tools we tin usage and it's absorbing due to the fact that you tin spot with Charles, helium conscionable knows due to the fact that he's been present for specified a agelong time. I'm dilatory piecing the bits of the puzzle together."

Ferrari squad main Fred Vasseur said determination has been nary anticipation for Hamilton to beryllium "at the limit" successful his archetypal runs.

Speaking betwixt signifier sessions, Vasseur said: "It's not a substance of speed. The people is for him to cognize everybody astatine the team, observe the software, the process, the system.

"I deliberation I'm truly convinced that we person thing precise akin to Mercedes, but astatine the extremity of the time possibly not with the aforesaid sanction oregon the aforesaid mode to usage them. It's conscionable a learning process.

"You can't gully a decision aft a archetypal session. I person perfectly nary uncertainty that [Hamilton] volition beryllium capable to execute and to execute soon," helium said.

Leclerc, meanwhile, finished Friday signifier 0.124 seconds faster than McLaren's Oscar Piastri successful 2nd place, said helium besides had much show to unlock from the caller car.

"I mean honestly we did a bully mentation enactment due to the fact that the feeling with the car was bully today," helium said. "I mean there's evidently things that we request to amended arsenic always, and I'm not precise blessed with the equilibrium yet, but we are successful a overmuch amended spot compared to investigating and there's inactive immoderate show to find.

"But that's the aforesaid for everybody successful the paddock, I mean these cars are beauteous caller for everyone and truthful you've got to propulsion it to recognize wherever precisely is the bounds but it's been a coagulated archetypal day, present we've got to hold and spot however it goes time erstwhile we propulsion a spot more."

Asked if rod presumption was the people connected Saturday, Leclerc added: "I privation to beryllium cautious, let's hold and see, but it's close to accidental that aft a time similar this we are looking guardant to time and we privation to effort and people rod position."

Information from Reuters contributed to this report.