Source: REUTERS/Jennifer Gauthier
[Saba Sports News] Lewis Hamilton gradually realized upon joining Ferrari that he wasn’t the core figure of this legendary team. Former F1 team principal Eric Boullier noted that Charles Leclerc is the true “homegrown child” of Ferrari, while Hamilton is still adjusting to this new environment. For the 2025 season, Hamilton switched to Ferrari in hopes of securing his eighth F1 World Championship. However, reality is far from ideal. Although he achieved impressive results in sprint races, he only managed one fourth-place finish in the first nine main races, failing to secure a podium spot. In the recent Spanish Grand Prix, the decision for him to swap positions with Leclerc caused speculation about the team favoring Leclerc. Boullier believes that Hamilton is no stranger to such feelings, reminiscent of Fernando Alonso’s experience at McLaren in 2007. Back then, the young rising star McLaren favored was Hamilton, leaving Alonso feeling overlooked. Now, this role reversal seems to be repeating itself at Ferrari. Leclerc, who hails from Ferrari’s youth system, possesses deeper internal ties and recognition, while Hamilton, as an outsider, has yet to gain that sense of belonging and support.