Ferrari entered the 2025 System 1 season with excessive expectations, aiming to mount a severe bid for each the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships. Their sturdy end to the earlier yr had positioned them as real contenders, with Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc pushing Lando Norris laborious proper up till the season finale in Abu Dhabi. Whereas McLaren clinched the Constructors’ crown, Ferrari fell quick by simply 14 factors—fueling optimism that the arrival of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton would tip the stability of their favor this season.
Though Charles Leclerc voiced early issues in regards to the route of Ferrari’s automotive growth throughout pre-season, there was nonetheless confidence inside the paddock that the crew might, on the very least, battle McLaren to be the most effective of the remaining. Nonetheless, that narrative has rapidly unraveled. Apart from Hamilton’s victory within the Chinese language Dash Race, the crew has struggled to provide constant outcomes, calling into query the impression of their high-profile signing and the trajectory of the SF-25’s growth.
Amongst these tempering expectations is Luca di Montezemolo—a reputation synonymous with Ferrari’s golden eras. As a former crew principal who led the Scuderia to a number of titles through the Seventies, together with Niki Lauda’s championship triumphs, Luca di Montezemolo’s opinions nonetheless carry appreciable weight. On the time of Hamilton’s signing, he had publicly welcomed the transfer, describing it as daring and doubtlessly transformative. He had advised Italian information company ANSA that Hamilton’s arrival couldn’t solely enhance Ferrari’s competitiveness but in addition restore some much-needed glamour and highlight to the crew. He had additionally anticipated that the interior battle between Hamilton, chasing a historic eighth title, and Leclerc, hungry for his first, would energize the crew—offered the automotive was as much as the duty.
However his perspective shifted dramatically following his go to to the Bahrain Grand Prix. Talking with Swiss outlet Blick, the previous Ferrari president expressed deep skepticism about Hamilton’s prospects at Ferrari. He now believes the British driver is unlikely to comprehend his long-held dream of securing a world title with the Scuderia. Montezemolo attributed the crew’s persistent shortcomings to not particular person drivers, however to what he sees as an erosion of id and management inside the group. He remarked that the Ferrari of previous—a crew outlined by ardour, relentless work ethic, and unity—has given strategy to a gaggle that seems to be chasing victory with no clear technique or soul.
The Italian businessman additionally questioned the broader selections made by Ferrari administration, significantly highlighting the puzzling state of affairs involving rising Italian star Kimi Antonelli. Luca di Montezemolo identified that it appeared unfathomable to many Italians that Antonelli, a expertise with sturdy nationwide ties, had been picked up by Mercedes as a substitute of Ferrari.
In the meantime, Lewis Hamilton continues to adapt to life in pink. His fifth-place end in Bahrain was his greatest Grand Prix consequence to date with the crew. Though he ended the race eight seconds behind Charles Leclerc, the efficiency was commendable provided that Hamilton had began seven locations additional down the grid. The hassle urged that progress is being made, albeit incrementally.
F1 pundit Martin Brundle has urged that Lewis Hamilton’s early-season struggles are tied to acclimating to Ferrari’s distinctive methods and parts. The transition has not been trivial: for the primary time in over a decade, the Briton is utilizing a unique braking system—one thing that impacts his trademark precision underneath braking, a talent honed over years at McLaren and Mercedes.
Including to the scrutiny, David Coulthard famous that Lewis Hamilton’s qualifying kind stays a priority. The veteran driver has discovered it tough to extract most efficiency over one lap—a weak point that grew to become evident final season when George Russell outqualified him as a rule. Regardless of these challenges, Lewis Hamilton stays undeterred. He has constructed his profession round silencing doubters and turning adversity into gasoline. At the same time as figures like the previous Ferrari president revise their stance, the British driver is concentrated on pushing via Ferrari’s present limitations and laying the groundwork for long-term success with the crew.
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