Hamilton challenging Ferrari at its core ‘with no time to waste’

Lewis Hamilton has revealed that he is leaving no stone unturned in his mission to revive Ferrari’s fortunes, the seven-time world champion detailing his relentless behind the scenes interaction with the Scuderia to transform the team from within.

Halfway through his debut season with Ferrari, Hamilton has yet to secure a Sunday podium, with his sole highlight a sprint race victory in China.

Undeterred, the Briton is challenging Ferrari’s leadership and operations at every level, determined to end the Italian outfit’s 17-year title drought and prove his move from Mercedes was not in vain.

A Call for Change

Speaking on Thursday at Spa ahead of this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, Hamilton revealed the extent of his involvement in Ferrari’s inner workings, far beyond his role behind the wheel.

“After the first few races, I did a full document for the team,” he told reporters. “Then, during this break, I had another two documents that I sent in, and so then I come in and want to address those.”

These detailed reports cover structural adjustments and car-specific issues, addressing “some things that you do want to take on to the next year’s car and some that you need to work on changing for next year.”

Hamilton has been vocal in meetings with Ferrari’s top brass, including team principal Frederic Vasseur and technical leaders Enrico Cardile and Loïc Serra.

“Some of its structural adjustments that we need to make as a team in order to get better in all the areas that we want to improve,” he explained.

His scrutiny spans every facet of the car’s performance, from “the engine for next year, front suspension, rear suspension” to broader organizational dynamics.

Breaking Old Habits

Ferrari’s last Constructors’ title came in 2008 while their Drivers’ title drought stretches back to 2007. Despite fielding champions like Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel, and Kimi Raikkonen, the team has struggled endlessly with deep-rooted fundamental issues.

Hamilton, drawing on his experience with McLaren and Mercedes’ dynastic success, believes Ferrari must break from tradition to succeed.

“If you take the same path all the time, you get the same results,” he warned. “It is a huge organisation and there’s a lot of moving parts and not all of them are firing on all the cylinders that need to be.

“That’s ultimately why the team’s not had the success that I think it deserves. So I feel that it’s my job to challenge absolutely every area, to challenge everybody in the team, particularly the guys that are at the top who are making the decisions.”

A Legacy to Build

Hamilton’s resolve is fueled by his own personal ambition but also by Ferrari’s history of squandered opportunities with world-class drivers.

“If you look at the team over the last 20 years, they’ve had amazing drivers,” he said. “You’ve had Kimi, you’ve had Fernando, you’ve had Sebastian. All world champions.

“However, they didn’t win a world championship. And for me, I refuse for that to be the case with me. So I’m going the extra mile.”

Hamilton’s efforts extend beyond engineering, touching marketing, sponsor relations, and team morale.

“I’m obviously very fortunate to have had experiences in two other great teams,” he noted. “So I’m just challenging certain things that have been incredibly responsive.

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“We’ve been improving in so many areas through marketing, through what everything we’re continuously delivering for sponsors, the way the engineers continue to work.

“There’s lots of work and improvements to be made, but very responsive. And I guess ultimately just trying to create really, really create allies within the organisation and get them pushing for, I’m here to win.”

Crunch Time for a Champion

At 40, Hamilton is acutely aware of the ticking clock.

“I don’t have as much time as this one here, so it’s crunch time for me,” he admitted, pointing to his young successor at Mercedes, Kimi Antonelli, sitting next to him.

“I truly believe in the potential of this team, really, really believe that they can win multiple world championships moving forward,” he said.

“They already have an amazing legacy. But during my time, that’s my sole goal.”

Hamilton’s relentless push for progress, through detailed debriefs and candid leadership, signals his intent to not just race for Ferrari but to reshape it.

As he navigates Spa’s challenges this weekend, his focus is clear: to forge a winning future for the Scuderia and cement his legacy with the most storied team in F1.

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