Lewis Hamilton treading Ferrari tightrope as expectation delivered

Lewis Hamilton believes he is walking a "fine line" in trying to implement some of his ideas at Ferrari without demanding changes.

Hamilton's debut season at the Scuderia has been a disappointment, and 17 races in, he remains without a grand prix podium, although he did win the China Sprint and finish third in the shorter Miami race.

Hamilton has been vocal about his struggles with the brakes and engine braking on his new car after 12 seasons with Mercedes, and having always driven with a Mercedes engine in his career, with McLaren being a customer during his 2007-2012 stay at Woking.

Although he crashed out of the Dutch Grand Prix and then finished sixth in Italy, both he and boss Fred Vasseur felt a breakthrough in performance had been made as he chases that elusive first podium for Ferrari.

Reflecting on the settling-in period, Hamilton explained about the tightrope he felt he was treading. 

"I think it is a very fine line," Hamilton told media, including RacingNews365, when asked about the difficulties of switching teams after such a long time with another.

"My approach this year was really to adapt as much as I could to how they work, rather than arrive and say: 'You have to change everything', and to get a perspective of how they like to work.

"Then I want to bring my experience to see how we can make those bits even better, but it is a fine line for sure.

"I'm the type of person who doesn't like to be complacent and comfortable, and that's where I was in the long-term relationship I had before.

"[So I took a step] into a team I truly believe in, and I still believe in the potential here, and what we can achieve together.

"I think everyone in the team still does, but no one succeeds without going through those tough patches, so I'm looking forward to the sunnier days."