Hamilton calls doubts over faith in Ferrari ‘complete rubbish’

Lewis Hamilton has forcefully dismissed suggestions that he’s losing faith in Ferrari, calling such claims “complete rubbish” as he stands by his new team despite a rocky start to the 2025 Formula 1 season.

The seven-time world champion, who joined the Scuderia with high hopes, has faced a turbulent opening two races, marked by inconsistency and setbacks.

Yet, ahead of this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix, Hamilton not only rejected talk of disillusionment but also praised Ferrari’s resilience in the face of adversity, signaling his steadfast belief in the team’s potential.

A Rocky Road in Red… So Far

Ferrari’s 2025 campaign kicked off with disappointment in Melbourne, where Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc struggled for pace in a wet and chaotic opener, limping home in eighth and tenth.

China offered a brief high, with Hamilton securing his first Ferrari pole and sprint race victory, but the main Grand Prix saw the pair finish a distant fifth and sixth on the road before both cars were disqualified – Leclerc’s for being underweight and Hamilton’s for excessive skid plank wear.

The results have left the Italian outfit languishing fifth in the Constructors’ standings with just 17 points, a staggering 61 points behind reigning champions McLaren and even trailing Williams.

©Ferrari

For a team of Ferrari’s stature, it’s been a humbling start, and one that has led to speculation about potential trust issues between Hamilton and Ferrari.

However, the Briton is having none of it.

“I saw someone say something about whether I’m losing faith in the team, which is complete rubbish,” Hamilton fired back at Suzuka. “I have absolute 100% faith in this team.”

The Briton’s words were a clear rebuke to doubters, underscoring his confidence in Ferrari’s ability to turn things around.

Team Spirit Shines Through Setbacks

Hamilton’s defense went beyond mere defiance – he highlighted the Scuderia’s response to its woes as a source of inspiration.

“I didn’t feel like any frustration or anything afterwards, it is what it is,” he said. “Of course, we’ve gone through everything. We take the highs and lows of the season, and we try to make sure that we go together as a team.”

While the results have been far from ideal, Hamilton pointed to the team’s reaction as a silver lining.

“Obviously, it’s not what everyone’s worked hard to have happen on a race weekend,” he acknowledged.

“No team, no engineer, no mechanic puts all the effort into something like that but it’s, I’d say the most impressive thing is how the team have taken it, how they’ve worked, how they’ve churned through the data and how we’ve progressed from here is the most important.”

For Hamilton, Ferrari’s ability to rally and analyze its shortcomings has been a testament to its strength. The 40-year-old, who’s no stranger to adversity across his storied career, sees this as a foundation to build on as the season progresses.

Managing Expectations, Embracing the Journey

Before 2025 began, Hamilton had boldly stated that Ferrari possessed “absolutely every ingredient to win,” fueling sky-high expectations. Now, with the team off to a faltering start, he’s tempering that optimism with realism.

“I think there was obviously a huge amount of hype at the beginning of the year, and I don’t know if everyone was expecting us to be winning from race one and winning a championship in our first year, that wasn’t my expectation,” he said.

©Ferrari

Transitioning from Mercedes to Ferrari, Hamilton views this as a long-term project.

“I know that I’m coming into a new culture, a new team and it’s going to take time,” he explained.

“I’ve spent the past two months just observing how the team works in comparison to the other two teams that I’ve worked at, and through this past week, I’ve been out to make notes and create points of areas that I feel like we can improve.

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“That will continue through the year as we learn more and more about each other.”

Hamilton’s proactive approach reflects a driver fully invested in the journey, undeterred by the bumps along the way.

Far from losing hope,the seven-time world champion is doubling down on his belief in the team, convinced that their collective resolve and ongoing improvements will eventually bear fruit.

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