Whereas the hole to Charles Leclerc is slowly closing after a troublesome adaptation interval to life on the Scuderia, Lewis Hamilton is much from joyful – and he gained’t be, even when he manages to get the sting over his team-mate. As a result of his purpose with Ferrari isn’t to beat the man within the different crimson automotive; it’s to win. But, regardless of some early promise, the situations to do this merely aren’t there.
Wanting past the outright outcomes, Hamilton confirmed in Miami that he may get very near Leclerc. After the difficulties encountered in China, Bahrain and particularly Jeddah, the Briton managed to get essentially the most out of what the SF-25 has to supply through the first US weekend of the season – a minimum of returning to the identical orbit, with solely marginal gaps to his team-mate.
Nonetheless, whereas Lewis has a minimum of began to see gentle on the finish of the tunnel by way of the interior battle, the broader image stays clouded by disappointment – each inside Ferrari and among the many public. That disappointment, although, isn’t about Hamilton’s outcomes, however fairly the automotive’s total efficiency.
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The euphoria round Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari peaked in February at Fiorano, the place almost 7,000 spectators turned as much as watch his first laps in crimson. And whereas many extra will probably be watching his first race in Italy for Ferrari this weekend at Imola, the extent of enthusiasm has clearly taken a success. However that has little to do with Lewis himself.
Name it stunning, however even most people in Italy appears to know that Hamilton wants extra time. You’d count on folks to say, “He’s a seven-time world champion – he shouldn’t want it,” however up to now that sentiment has been restricted to a couple media shops.
The tifosi, who turned up on a chilly February morning at Fiorano to welcome him, are nonetheless behind him. And simply as they shared the preliminary pleasure over the dream they had been about to stay collectively, there may be now a shared feeling between Lewis and the Italian followers – that of disappointment with the SF-25.
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Photograph by: Ferrari
Hamilton has been immersed (and nonetheless is) in essentially the most accelerated studying course of attainable, working to shed the habits constructed up over twelve years at Mercedes and adapt naturally to life at Ferrari, each out and in of the cockpit. However that’s just one step – and one which was at all times anticipated to take time when he arrived in Maranello.
Even in his ultimate season at Mercedes, the preliminary feeling with the W15 was removed from superb. Curiously, after the primary six race weekends (excluding sprints), the interior rating together with his team-mate George Russell was 5–1 in qualifying and 4–1 in races in Russell’s favour (in Australia, neither driver noticed the chequered flag). Twelve months later, the comparability with Leclerc follows the same pattern: 5–1 in qualifying and 5–0 in races, excluding China the place each Ferraris had been disqualified.
In 2024, Hamilton completed second within the Shanghai dash (with Russell eighth), whereas this 12 months he gained it with Leclerc in fifth. General, after six races final 12 months, Hamilton had scored 27 factors to Russell’s 37; this 12 months, he has 41 factors to Leclerc’s 53.
It rings a bell, doesn’t it?
There’s not a lot that’s completely different about Hamilton’s begin to 2025 – in reality, it virtually seems like deja vu in a distinct color scheme. However the Hamilton we’re seeing this 12 months has a noticeably completely different perspective in comparison with the one initially of 2024. He wasn’t precisely glowing again then, however he definitely didn’t look as downcast as he has over the previous two months.
“Don’t count on a smiling Hamilton simply because he finishes forward of Leclerc,” says one shut observer. “That may be a step, nevertheless it’s not the tip purpose – not if that step is just ok for fifth or sixth.”
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Photograph by: Jade Gao – Getty Pictures
Final 12 months, Mercedes didn’t attain the rostrum till Canada, however within the 5 races that adopted, it took three wins and two extra top-three finishes. The season modified drastically: Hamilton gained his residence race at Silverstone, and the early frustration was quickly forgotten.
This 12 months, the expectations had been very completely different – and the result of the interior battle with Leclerc isn’t one thing Hamilton is especially serious about. Simply as beating Russell didn’t matter a lot final 12 months.
Hamilton has by no means misplaced religion in himself, simply as he didn’t after a troublesome begin final season. He accepted the problem of reaching Leclerc’s stage with the idea that he has all of the instruments to do it. However aiming for victories is one other matter completely – and in that case, the ball is in different palms.
If Imola confirms the progress seen in Miami by way of maximising the automotive’s potential, that will probably be welcome information for Hamilton. However don’t count on that alone to convey the smile again to his face.
On this article
Roberto Chinchero
System 1
Lewis Hamilton
George Russell
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
Mercedes
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