Lewis Hamilton cast doubt on Ferrari\u2019s chances of winning a race this season ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. On paper, this is one of the venues that could suit the Scuderia.<\/p>\n
After previously suggesting that Ferrari could challenge, Leclerc doubts Ferrari could win in Baku<\/a>. The Monegasque scored a podium in Saudi Arabia, another high-speed street track, and at low-downforce venues like Austria and Belgium.<\/p>\n But Ferrari<\/a> feel they\u2019re too far back from McLaren to win in normal circumstances. They\u2019ve arguably lagged behind the soon-to-be constructors\u2019 champions at every race this year.<\/p>\n For Hamilton<\/a>, the main target, results-wise, in the final eight races has to be scoring a first Grand Prix podium. A year without one would be unthinkable for the sport\u2019s most successful driver, particularly given the hype that surrounded his move.<\/p>\n Hamilton has rarely looked comfortable in Ferrari\u2019s SF-25 for a sustained period this season. And perhaps his biggest problem is the brakes.<\/p>\n Karun Chandhok says Ferrari are now giving Lewis Hamilton more confidence on the brakes<\/p>\n Hamilton had used Carbon Industrie brake materials for the first 18 seasons of his F1 career at McLaren and Mercedes. But Ferrari have a long-running partnership with Brembo. <\/p>\n Braking used to be regarded as one of Hamilton\u2019s superpowers, but he\u2019s been losing his time on corner entry this season as he struggles to adjust to the lack of \u2018bite\u2019.<\/p>\n Brembo\u2019s boss has confirmed that Hamilton has made complaints<\/a>, though he also attributes some of the seven-time champion\u2019s problems to his unfamiliarity with Ferrari\u2019s engine braking.<\/p>\n Speaking on Sky Sports\u2019 \u2018Paddock Uncut\u2019 show ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Karun Chandhok<\/a> says a Brembo engineer told him that Ferrari have at last made some \u2018good steps\u2019 in addressing this issue.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the engineers I used to work in GP2, who is now at Brembo, working at Ferrari, was talking about the work they\u2019d done with Lewis,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cLewis had gone through his whole career at Mercedes and McLaren using the Carbon Industrie brakes. As we know, since he was karting, braking has been a strength for him \u2013 something he really puts a lot of emphasis on for his performance.<\/p>\n \u201cSwitching that material to Brembo has given him a different feel. It\u2019s less grabby, gives less bite.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ve spent a lot of time trying to give Lewis a feeling that he\u2019s more familiar with, more confident with. They feel like they\u2019ve made some good steps.\u201d<\/p>\n Lewis Hamilton says he barely speaks to one Ferrari F1 legend<\/p>\n