09/08/2025 10:10
Lewis Hamilton has revealed life at Ferrari is far different to
what he had envisaged before switching from Mercedes over the F1
off-season. The British driver left the Brackley-based squad for
Maranello after 12 years, leaving behind a legacy of eight
constructors' championships and six of his seven F1 drivers'
titles. That success made them the most successful driver-team
combination in F1 history. But, the 40-year-old sought pastures new
and a fresh challenge, opting to join his old GP2 boss Fred Vasseur
at the Scuderia. It has been, however, far from a dream start to
life at Ferrari for the 105-time grand prix winner, at least on the
track. Results have failed to live up to the lofty expectations
that accompanied Hamilton to the Prancing Horse. Aside from a
sprint victory and a further sprint podium, in China and Miami,
respectively, he has failed to reach the rostrum and is being
outclassed and overshadowed by Charles Leclerc. After 14 rounds of
the season, he sits in sixth on 109 points, 42 adrift of his
team-mate, who has also claimed five podium finishes. Those
struggles culminated in some remarkable comments from the
seven-time F1 drivers' champion over the Hungarian Grand Prix
weekend, where he publicly admonished himself for his failings.
Nonetheless, Hamilton has stayed positive about the team and its
personnel. When asked to reflect on his first few months at
Ferrari, he immediately focused on the unexpected intensity - and
"impressive" facilities. "It's not at all what I expected; it's
more intense in so many areas," the Ferrari driver told French
outlet RTBF Actus . "I didn't expect that. "I didn't think the team
at the factory would be so impressive. I was expecting energy, but
this... It's even more intense than I imagined." Hamilton expanded
on his comments, expressing his immense "pride" at racing for
Ferrari, explaining that he still has to "pinch" himself at
realising a childhood dream. "There's a huge sense of pride within
this team. During a shoot last week, I had a big smile on my face
the whole time," he added. "I love being in red! I look at the
badge and I think, 'Wow!' It's Ferrari, I can't believe it. I still
have to pinch myself, I think, 'I'm driving for Ferrari.' It's
phenomenal."
