Former Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas has offered a measured perspective on Lewis Hamilton’s first season with Ferrari, saying that while the seven-time world champion still has the talent to succeed, “only time will show” whether he can fully adapt to life in red.
Hamilton’s switch from Mercedes to Ferrari at the start of 2025 marked one of Formula 1’s most high-profile moves in years.
After more than a decade in Brackley, the Briton joined Charles Leclerc at the Scuderia in search of renewed success – but so far it’s been a mixed bag of results, prompting speculation about his ability to adapt to the Maranello squad.
A Difficult Transition for a Champion
Though Hamilton has shown flashes of form – including a sprint race victory in China and a run of solid fourth place finishes in Imola, Austria, and Silverstone – his adaptation to Ferrari’s car and culture has proven arduous.
Even team principal Fred Vasseur has acknowledged that he and Hamilton may have “underestimated the challenge” of such a major transition.
©Ferrari
Bottas, who partnered Hamilton at Mercedes between 2017 and 2021, understands better than most what it’s like to share a garage with the Briton – and the difficulty of switching environments after years of stability.
“I hope he will bounce back. But time will show if he will. He's had some good moments, a bit of bad luck as well,” Bottas told Crash.net.
“But it's tricky. It's not easy changing a team after such a long time at Mercedes, being kind of the lead man.
“It's a very different environment that he's working with now. I can't really say much more than say time will show if things go better or not. But I really hope so because I think he deserves still great results in this sport.”
A Different Environment, A Waiting Game
Bottas drew comparisons between Hamilton’s struggles and his own experiences moving between teams – having raced for Williams, Mercedes, and Alfa Romeo/Sauber during his Formula 1 career.
“It depends on which team you go to and how different is the car,” Bottas explained.
“I've had my experiences, but normally it's been actually during a regulation change. So for me it’s hard to predict.
“I don't know inside the team how they operate, how they work and what the struggles are. So I can't really say much more than that, really.”
Looking Ahead
With just six race weekends remaining in the 2025 season, Hamilton sits sixth in the drivers’ standings with 125 points, trailing his teammate Leclerc by 48 points.
Ferrari remains locked in a tight battle with Mercedes for second place in the constructors’ championship – a rivalry rich with irony, given Hamilton’s long history with his former team.
For Bottas, however, the story isn’t finished. His message to his old teammate carries both empathy and optimism – a reminder that even for Formula 1’s greatest talents, change takes time.
“I really hope so because I think he deserves still great results in this sport,” Bottas concluded.
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