Lewis Hamilton’s performance in the recent race marked his best since joining Ferrari, yet he’s clear that the team still faces some issues needing attention. He clinched his first podium with Ferrari, finishing just behind Kimi Antonelli and George Russell. While Hamilton praised Antonelli’s victory, many fans were equally thrilled to see the seven-time world champion back among the top finishers.

The standout moment was Hamilton’s fierce duel with teammate Charles Leclerc, showcasing a sharpness we haven’t seen from him in a long time. Leclerc sees their battle as a positive sign for Ferrari, but Hamilton is keen to sort out certain car-related concerns sooner rather than later.

Talking about his podium finish after the Chinese Grand Prix, Hamilton admitted it came after a tough fight. Despite being happy with the team’s race management, he highlighted some struggles mid-race, where he slipped behind Russell and Leclerc before fighting back to third. He acknowledged there’s room for improvement, especially during the mid-stage on medium tyres, where he felt something was off.

Hamilton emphasised, “My race pace has been solid, especially on the hard tyres in these early races, but on the mediums, I need to extract more performance.” Battling back from fourth to third, he described it as “a hell of a push". The podium was a big milestone for him, and he extended a heartfelt thank you to Ferrari for making it happen.

On a more personal note, Hamilton shared how he brought his mother to the Chinese Grand Prix, and for the first time in over two decades of racing, he walked her through the preparation process. She was genuinely amazed at the sheer volume of work and mental effort involved. Hamilton likened it to studying for a test every day, something he’s never really been comfortable with, but driving is his strength.

Seeing Hamilton’s hard work pay off must be a rewarding moment for his family, as he clearly appears to be finding his rhythm again with Ferrari. His current edge over Leclerc, combined with both drivers showing strong form early in the season, offers optimistic prospects for Ferrari’s challenge against Mercedes moving forward.

This past weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix was a tough one for both Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso, who ended up retiring early amid disappointing performances from Red Bull and Aston Martin. Verstappen started from eighth but quickly fell down the order at the Shanghai International Circuit, wrestling with an RB22 that just isn’t launching well. Meanwhile, Alonso was forced to pull out due to pain from persistent vibrations in the AMR26.

Both drivers had anticipated a strong start to this new era. Verstappen, the 28-year-old Dutchman, was aiming to maintain his dominant position upfront, and Alonso, at 46, was hoping to build on the momentum he found in 2023. Last year, Alonso notched eight podiums and was locked in a fierce battle with Lewis Hamilton and Sergio Perez for second place in the championship, while Verstappen cruised to a record 19 wins from 22 races.

Fast forward to this latest race in East Asia, and the gap between their hopes and reality couldn’t be starker. Neither could make a dent in Mercedes’ lead, with Kimi Antonelli edging out George Russell for the victory, leaving Red Bull and Aston Martin fading well behind. Alonso’s issues came to a head on lap 32 when the vibrations overwhelmed him; footage shows him lifting his hands off the wheel, shaking them in search of relief.

Alonso didn’t hold back after the race, pointing out the spectacle’s shortcomings. “Four cars didn’t take the start,” he told Spanish reporters. “That’s probably the worst show you can put on. When every car has a full battery at the start, things go smoothly. But then it becomes a battery championship, and that’s where we fall short.”

Verstappen had a rough ride as well. After qualifying eighth, he bogged down off the line and even ran wide on the first lap, forcing a scramble back to tenth just to get into serious points contention. His car finally gave up on lap 46 while he was pursuing Oliver Bearman’s Haas for fifth place. Throughout the race, Verstappen found himself battling midfield teams like Haas, Alpine, and Racing Bulls, far from the dominance he’s shown in recent years.

His frustration was clear, and he didn’t hesitate to criticise both the new Formula 1 rules and the fans who seemed to enjoy watching him struggle. “It’s a joke,” he said, according to Erik van Haren. “I’d say the same even if I won. If anyone finds this funny, they don’t understand what racing is really about.”

That didn’t sit well with many fans, who took to social media, now known as X.com, to express their reactions. Some accused Verstappen of being a sore loser, with one user saying, “He’s just mad because he’s losing. Once they tweak the regulations to reduce clipping, these’ll be the best rules we’ve had since 2012.” Another fan enjoyed the fresh overtaking and even the sight of Verstappen failing to finish, commenting, “I’ve seen some great passes lately. Love seeing him not make it to the end.”

Others poked fun at his complaints, joking about battling midfield teams or comparing his attitude unfavourably to Lewis Hamilton, who has had his own struggles. One user wrote, “And people call Hamilton a crybaby? Look at this guy.” Another brought up Hamilton’s issues with porpoising in the 2022 Azerbaijan GP that caused him a back injury, arguing that Verstappen wasn’t complaining when he was winning.

All in all, both Verstappen and Alonso are feeling the sting of a changing Formula 1 landscape, one that’s forcing even the sport’s biggest names to rethink their approach and adapt to new regulations and challenges. Whether they embrace this shift or continue to resist remains to be seen, but for now, Mercedes holds a strong grip on the field.