Hamilton admits Ferrari transition 'as challenging as it could ever be'

Lewis Hamilton has admitted that adapting to life at Ferrari has been far more arduous than he anticipated. describing the transition as “as challenging as it could ever be.”

After a run of record-breaking seasons with Mercedes, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion made the high-profile switch to the Scuderia for the 2025 season.

Ferrari’s 2024 campaign had ignited hopes of a title challenge, having come within one race win of toppling constructors’ champions McLaren.

But the SF-25 has so far failed to deliver on that promise, leaving Hamilton struggling to match teammate Charles Leclerc and unable to consistently challenge the front-runners.

“I didn’t know how tough it was going to be”

Speaking ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola on Thursday, Hamilton was forthright about the steep learning curve he’s faced in adapting to the Ferrari environment, both on and off the track.

“I anticipated it would be very tough, because I’ve joined a team before,” he said.

“I came in with a really open mind, I didn’t know how tough it was going to be, but I knew it was going to be challenging. It’s as challenging as it could ever be on all fronts.”

The 39-year-old has shown occasional flashes of brilliance, winning the Sprint event in Shanghai, but has largely been outpaced by Leclerc as he continues to get to grips with the nuances of Ferrari’s machinery and processes.

The Italian outfit currently sits a staggering 152 points adrift of McLaren in the constructors’ standings, a disappointing margin for a team that began the season with championship aspirations.

“We have to stay vigilant, we have to push”

With the season now entering its European phase, teams are preparing to roll out significant upgrade packages – crucial for Ferrari’s hopes of salvaging their campaign.

The Spanish Grand Prix is expected to be a pivotal moment, especially with incoming FIA front wing compliance tests that could shake up the pecking order.

In the interim, Hamilton remains focused on finding incremental gains with the SF-25, while staying realistic about the championship picture.

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“Championship? There’s still a long, long way to go,” he said.

“From all the years of experience, when you’re over 100 points behind at this point in the season, with a car that’s up against a car that’s quite dominant, you have to assume that you’re not necessarily fighting for the win in the championship.

“But things could turn around. We’ve never seen that happen.”

Still, Hamilton emphasized the importance of resilience and continuous effort, even if the gains come in small doses.

“At the moment, I can’t tell you whether we’re going to gain full tenths, half a second, a second by the end of the season,” he explained.

“We want to get closer to those things. And as I said, at the moment, we can’t shut the door to any idea. We have to keep our eyes and our heads up, and we have to stay vigilant. So we have to push with the expectation and the goal of winning.

"That’s still the goal of each weekend. Right now, when I’m sitting with the engineers, it’s how are we going to win this weekend."

“If we can extract a little bit more from the tyres, if we can extract a little bit more from the floor, if every single one of us is able to pull out half a tenth each. Then, maybe we can just get there.”

As the season progresses, pundits and fans alike will be watching closely to see if Hamilton and Ferrari can overcome their early struggles, with upgrades and strategic adjustments potentially key to turning their fortunes around.

For now, Hamilton’s candid reflections offer a glimpse into the realities of adapting to one of F1’s most storied teams, where the weight of expectation is as challenging as the competition on track.

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