PADDOCK INSIDER: Why Hamilton and Leclerc remain optimistic about Ferrari's chances in China and beyond
Having finished third and fourth in the Australian season opener, as well as challenged race winner George Russell, Ferrari drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have reason to be optimistic this weekend in China.
Ferrari arrived at the Shanghai International Circuit last year licking their wounds after they failed to extract the full potential from their car in a rain-hit season-opening Australian Grand Prix, and left Albert Park with just five points.
Fast forward to this year and the mood is significantly better. Charles Leclerc gave Ferrari a podium to kick off the year, with Lewis Hamilton racing very strongly to finish just behind in fourth.
While they couldn't match pace-setters Mercedes, they appear at the very least the second-best team in the pecking order right now, which suggests boss Fred Vasseur's call to cut development on its 2025 challenger in April last year to focus on 2026 may well have paid off.
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