In normal use, a F1 car will never be driven gently. It will be driven very, very quickly by a professional, racing against other professionals who are also driving hard. So the tires have a lot less traction when they're cold, and the brakes don't work enormously well either.
Hammond needed to be going much faster, just so the car could work properly; but alas, he's a television show host, not a driver.
In normal use, a F1 car will never be driven gently. It will be driven very, very quickly by a professional, racing against other professionals who are also driving hard. So the tires have a lot less traction when they're cold, and the brakes don't work enormously well either.
Hammond needed to be going much faster, just so the car could work properly; but alas, he's a television show host, not a driver.