Source:REUTERS/Jakub Porzycki
[Saba Sports News] In his first season with Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton was clearly overshadowed by his teammate Charles Leclerc, but the seven-time world champion did not feel anxious about it. With the arrival of new technical regulations in 2026, Hamilton stated that he is not worried, believing that the current gap is more due to the adaptation process rather than a decline in ability.
The 2025 season was highly anticipated due to Hamilton’s significant transfer, but his actual performance fell far short of expectations. This marks the first time in Hamilton’s career that he did not stand on the podium throughout an entire season, contrasting sharply with his dominant performances during his time at Mercedes. In comparison, Leclerc made it to the podium seven times in the same season, ultimately leading Hamilton by 86 points in the standings, proving to be the more consistent performer within the team.
Despite this, Hamilton does not view the outcome as a threat to his future with Ferrari. He emphasized that the priority now is to solidify the foundation rather than rush to compare short-term results, believing that, through the team’s collective efforts, he will overcome Leclerc.
From the writer’s perspective, Leclerc has been with Ferrari for many years, supported by a well-established engineering team with mature and efficient operations. In contrast, Hamilton needs to rebuild relationships in a completely new environment, requiring time to adapt from work methods to team communication. Additionally, adjustments to the engineering team during the season further increase the challenges Hamilton faces in integrating into Ferrari.