DHL FASTEST PIT STOP AWARD

Ferrari mechanics contribute to Lewis Hamilton’s race day charge through the field with DHL Fastest Pit Stop

The Formula 1 weekend in Bahrain turned out to be a frustrating one for Lewis Hamilton. The seven-time world championship winner struggled with his SF-25 in practice and could only manage a modest ninth on the grid in qualifying. In the race itself, however, things went much better for the Ferrari driver.

In contrast to McLaren and Mercedes, the Scuderia did not opt for soft tires, but had both drivers start the race on mediums. As a result, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were able to drive a longer first stint and even formed the leading duo for a while.

Hamilton dropped back from second to tenth place as he emerged from his first pit stop, but was soon able to work his way up to P5 on a fresh set of mediums. When the safety car came out on lap 32 due to debris on the track, the Scuderia made the correct decision to call Hamilton in for a second tire change.

In 2.16 seconds, the Ferrari mechanics swapped Hamilton’s worn medium tires for a fresh set of hard tires to resume the chase for the podium. However, a Top Three finish ultimately eluded him, and he took the checkered flag in fifth place behind team-mate Leclerc.

"The energy in this team is fantastic," said Hamilton, with special thanks to his mechanics. "The guys are pushing very hard, and the pit stops were fantastic today. They train so hard, and I am adjusting to their pit stops as well."