Claire Williams backs Hamilton to ‘make it work’ at Ferrari – with time

Lewis Hamilton may be enduring a rocky debut season in scarlet, but one of the most respected names in the paddock has delivered a resounding vote of confidence: Claire Williams believes the Briton will soon turn his Ferrari chapter into a success story.

The former Williams deputy team principal, who steered the iconic British squad through some of its most challenging yet proudest years, says the struggle is real – but entirely normal.

Speaking in the wake of Ferrari’s bruising São Paulo Grand Prix that saw Hamilton retire with heavy floor damage and label his Ferrari experience a “nightmare,” Claire Williams offered a calm, experienced perspective.

“I think to a degree, that we can all probably underestimate how hard it is for a driver to change team,” she said.

“Lewis was at Mercedes for a long, long time, and when he first arrived at Mercedes, that team was kind of new. He was able to shape it in the way that he perhaps wanted to a bit, and he’s now transitioned over to what is a really different team, with a hugely different culture.”

“Ferrari, it’s Italian, they’ve got the tifosi. They will have a very different way of doing things. And even someone of Lewis’ calibre and experience is still going to take some time to settle in.”

Hamilton’s childhood dream of racing for the Prancing Horse has, so far, delivered zero podiums in 21 races and a Constructors’ standings position that’s on track to be Ferrari’s worst since 2020.

Yet Williams sees the bigger picture – and the romance that lured him to Maranello in the first place.

“He wanted to go to Ferrari, inevitably, to fill the childhood dream that I think all Formula 1 drivers have, to wear the red overalls with the prancing horse,” she said.

Hope for a 2026 Reset

With massive regulation changes looming for 2026, Ferrari has a golden opportunity to hit the reset button. Claire Williams is urging everyone to stay patient.

“We’ve just got to, I suppose, give it a bit more time, see what happens going into 2026,” the 49-year-old added.

“But, sometimes these moves, they work out, sometimes they don’t. But I suppose if anyone can make it work, it’s probably going to be Lewis Hamilton.”
For now, the tifosi may be restless, Hamilton may be bruised, and Ferrari may be scrambling – but Williams’ message is clear: write off Lewis Hamilton at your peril.

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