Average speed data shows Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari are in trouble at Austrian Grand Prix

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Ferrari may have the momentum on their side after a win in Barcelona, but the Austrian Grand Prix will be their biggest test yet.

Hamilton’s win in Barcelona marked his first with Ferrari, allowing the driver and the team to break a long-running dry spell when it came to the win column.

Despite some concern within Ferrari about Hamilton’s performance coming into the season, the driver has managed to quell these doubts with some strong performances.

Lewis Hamilton is now only missing a Grand Prix pole position for Ferrari 🏆 Predict when it will come?

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But the hysteria of Lewis Hamilton’s first Ferrari win must come to an end, as he and the team look ahead to the Austrian Grand Prix this weekend.

Even with the momentum on their side, Ferrari and Hamilton face a huge challenge on a track that isn’t suited to them, and has caused the Briton problems historically.

READ MORE: Where Lewis Hamilton would be in the F1 standings if he hadn’t been so lucky

Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s comeback depends on a strong performance at Austrian GP

Coming into the Austrian Grand Prix, Ferrari aren’t going to be considered the favourites, given how the Red Bull Ring gives a greater advantage to teams like Mercedes and Red Bull.

For starters, the Red Bull Ring is the sixth-fastest track on the Formula 1 calendar, with an average speed of 243.5km/h and a top speed of 328.9km/h.

The only other tracks among the fastest that we’ve seen racing at this season have been Suzuka and Albert Park, both tracks where Ferrari struggled for pace compared to Mercedes and even McLaren.

And with Red Bull and Mercedes’ engines being able to generate faster speeds compared to Ferrari this season, they won’t be able to rely on their great pace just in high-speed corners.

On top of that, drivers complete about 63% to 73.75% of a lap around the Red Bull Ring in full throttle, something both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have struggled with at points this season.

READ MORE: Emerson Fittipaldi shares simple reason Max Verstappen is his favourite driver over Lewis Hamilton

Give us your podium prediction for the Austrian Grand Prix this weekend 👇

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Lewis Hamilton must overcome disappointing track record at Austrian Grand Prix

It isn’t just Ferrari that face a difficult weekend in Austria. Lewis Hamilton’s history at the track is far from ideal, especially in recent years.

Hamilton has a 6-8 head-to-head record against his teammates when it comes to qualifying at Austria – a record worse than Lance Stroll, who holds one of Formula 1’s weakest head-to-head qualifying records.

On top of that, Hamilton has struggled at Spielberg since the track was introduced in 2014. He has earned just two pole positions and three front-row starts in Austria.

His performance on race days isn’t any better, as Hamilton has won just once in Austria, with four podium finishes across 12 appearances.

In fact, Hamilton hasn’t had a podium finish at Austria since 2022, when he was with Mercedes. So he will have to overcome his poor track record to try to win the race.

Ferrari have worked hard to give Hamilton a fast car. And even though they don’t have the fastest car on the grid, they showed in Barcelona that they have a fighting chance under the right circumstances.

As he tries to make a push for the championship, Ferrari can prioritise Hamilton over Leclerc as much as they like. But there is no denying just how important a win or a strong performance in Austria is for them.