Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has expressed his satisfaction with Lewis Hamilton's performance at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, where the British driver secured fourth place behind teammate Charles Leclerc.
The result represents a notable improvement on Hamilton's difficult 2025 campaign, during which the seven-time world champion failed to reach the podium throughout the entire season.
"Very pleased with the performance of Lewis over the weekend, but I think we have to stop saying one weekend he's there, one weekend he's not there," Vasseur said.
"It's a sport, sometimes we are doing a good session, sometimes not."
Lewis Hamilton had a terrible season last year with Ferrari
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Hamilton climbed from seventh on the grid to finish just behind Leclerc, who claimed third. Ferrari departed Melbourne with 27 points, having reached the podium in round one rather than waiting until the fifth race as they did last year.
Despite the encouraging start, Vasseur acknowledged that Ferrari face substantial development work in the coming months.
"We know that we have tonnes of things to improve - on the strategy, on the engine, on the chassis, on the tyres, on everything," the Frenchman explained.
The team boss highlighted that drivers across the paddock are still adapting to the dramatically revised 2026 machinery. He noted that radio communications during the Melbourne race revealed the extent of the challenge facing all competitors.
"And for the drivers to be used to deal with the car as it is today. If you have the radio of everybody, you saw that it's quite a challenge. It's true for us, but it's true for the others," Vasseur added.
Fred Vasseur is over the moon with Lewis Hamilton this season so far
| PAHe emphasised that championship success would ultimately depend on each team's ability to develop their package rapidly throughout the campaign.
Mercedes chief Toto Wolff has acknowledged that his team faces a genuine battle with the Maranello outfit this season.
"We have a fight on our hands with Ferrari," Wolff stated.
The rivalry was evident at Albert Park, where both Leclerc and Hamilton pressured eventual winner George Russell during the early stages of the race. Russell ultimately took victory for Mercedes, with teammate Kimi Antonelli completing a one-two finish for the Silver Arrows.
Vasseur reflected positively on Ferrari's recovery from a challenging qualifying session, where the team's cars lined up fourth and seventh.
"We had a tough Saturday, I think we didn't put everything together," he said. "It's good to have two cars fighting also at the top."
The championship now heads to Shanghai for this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix, which marks the first Sprint event of the 2026 calendar.
Lewis Hamilton finished fourth at the Australian Grand Prix, behind third-placed teammate Charles Leclerc
|REUTERS
Hamilton enjoyed his finest moment in Ferrari colours at this venue last year, claiming victory in the short-format race during his second weekend with the Italian squad.
However, Vasseur urged caution when drawing comparisons between the two seasons given the sweeping regulatory changes introduced for 2026.
"The fact that we were in good shape in the China Sprint last year, I'm not sure that it has something to do with this week," the team principal warned.
He pointed to the complexities of energy deployment and driving techniques under the new rules as areas requiring further adjustment before the team can maximise their potential.