Seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton has hit back at those “talking out of turn” and questioning his early performances with Ferrari, labeling their remarks as “uneducated guesses.”
The Briton, who made a seismic shift from Mercedes to the iconic Italian team at the end of the 2024 season, has faced scrutiny following a mixed start to his tenure in red.
However, Hamilton is adamant that building success with Ferrari is a long-term project, not an overnight feat, and he’s not afraid to call out the naysayers.
The F1 veteran’s comments came after a rollercoaster weekend at the Chinese Grand Prix, where a sprint race victory showcased promise, only for a disqualification in the main event due to excessive plank wear to sour the mood.
Reflecting on his journey so far, Hamilton didn’t hold back in addressing the perceived negativity surrounding his adaptation to Ferrari’s unique dynamics.
“It’s just that we live in such a strange time in the world,” Hamilton told media, quoted by RacingNews365.
“People just love to be negative at any opportunity, even with the smallest things, they’ll just be negative about it. That’s just the difficult time that we’re living in.”
He noted that even those he once admired have been guilty of jumping to conclusions.
“I see certain individuals – and again, I don’t read the news, but I see bits here and there – see people that I’ve admired for years just talking out of turn.
”Clearly, some of them really just making uneducated guesses of what's going on."
Hamilton’s Ferrari debut season kicked off with a lackluster 10th-place finish at the Australian Grand Prix, netting him just one point.
The Chinese round, however, offered a glimpse of what could be – a triumphant sprint race win that marked his first taste of victory with the Scuderia. Yet, the double disqualification that followed on Sunday was a bitter blow – and an embarrassing historic first – for the House of Maranello.
Hamilton elaborated on the intricacies of joining a new team, making it clear that immediate success is unrealistic, something his detractors fail to grasp.
“It’s just a real lack of appreciation. It’s not easy moving to a new team that works completely differently, completely different characteristic of car,” he explained.
“You don’t just jump in and it’s good. I mean, look at – it’s true – if you look at Seb [Vettel], you look at Fernando [Alonso], they did a great job when they joined the team in their early phases, but to build long-term success with the team takes time to build.”
Rather than chasing instant results, Hamilton is committed to a gradual and methodical approach to success at Ferrari.
"That's what I'm trying to do. I'm not trying to jump-start it, get ahead of myself. I'm just taking my time to build with this great team."
Despite being outpaced by some of their front-running rivals in the Chinese Grand Prix, Ferrari’s sprint race success provided the team with valuable data – and Hamilton with a boost of confidence.
He believes the Scuderia harness this experience to unlock the car’s potential at similar circuits later in the season.
“There’s so much potential in this team, but for us to be at the second race already and have that experience,” he noted. “This [in China] is a track I’ve gone well at for many, many years, so you got to take that a little bit.”
Hamilton’s growing familiarity with the Ferrari machine is also fueling his optimism.
“But in general I’ve been feeling really good in the car,” he said. “And as I’m learning more of where the car likes to be set up for a track like this, for example, when I get to another track like the last one, I think I have a better understanding of where to put it.”
Hamilton’s comments send a clear message – building a winning partnership with Ferrari is a process, and critics should recognize the patience required.
With early signs of progress and Hamilton’s trademark resilience, Ferrari’s long-term prospects under his leadership remain a tantalizing prospect for the F1 world.
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