Lewis Hamilton’s Optimism After Miami GP Surprises Danica Patrick as Ferrari Face Rising Pains in 2025 Season
After six rounds of the 2025 System 1 season, Lewis Hamilton could also be beginning to query what’s taking place behind the scenes at Ferrari’s Maranello headquarters. Regardless of excessive hopes following his high-profile change from Mercedes, the Scuderia’s efficiency has failed to satisfy expectations, leaving many questioning if inner points are holding the crew again.
On the finish of the 2024 marketing campaign, Ferrari seemed to be on the point of a significant breakthrough. Below crew principal Fred Vasseur’s steerage, Charles Leclerc had been steadily climbing the drivers’ standings, and the crew narrowly missed out on securing its first championship title since 2008. Hamilton’s arrival solely added to the Tifosi’s pleasure, fueling anticipation that Ferrari might lastly return to the highest. However actuality set in rapidly after a disappointing season opener, and outcomes have remained underwhelming since.
Throughout the Miami Grand Prix, Martin Brundle voiced his criticism of Ferrari’s in-race communication, significantly relating to radio messages directed on the British driver. The seven-time world champion discovered himself locked in a irritating on-track battle with teammate Charles Leclerc over P7 and P8, and followers had been fast to specific their dissatisfaction with the crew’s lack of readability and decisiveness. Though the scenario didn’t lead to a direct lack of factors, the inefficiency underscored Ferrari’s present struggles—struggles they can not afford to miss.
Regardless of the stress on monitor, Hamilton struck a notably upbeat tone in his post-race interviews—an angle that caught the eye of Sky Sports activities F1 analysts Danica Patrick and Jenson Button. His optimistic remarks stood out, particularly after one other robust weekend for Ferrari, and advised a degree of composure that shocked each pundits.
Patrick famous that Lewis Hamilton was the final driver to emerge for media duties, implying that he had taken considerably extra time than others earlier than talking to journalists. She noticed that his demeanor was unusually calm and composed, even smiling, one thing she hadn’t seen shortly. Patrick remarked that it was the primary time she had heard Lewis Hamilton converse as if Ferrari had recognized their core points—a optimistic signal, in her view. She additionally drew a comparability to McLaren’s turnaround the earlier 12 months, when Zak Brown promised enhancements by mid-season—and delivered. Nevertheless, Patrick was fast so as to add that Ferrari should nonetheless deal with lingering issues with race technique and inner communication, calling for extra cohesion and readability going ahead. She concluded that, whereas it stays a difficult scenario, that is System 1, the place fixed adaptation is the norm.
Button echoed Patrick’s sentiments, emphasizing that Hamilton’s composure prolonged past crew radios to his interviews, the place he appeared extra balanced and picked up than others inside Ferrari. He praised Hamilton for presenting himself so properly, particularly in distinction to the crew’s obvious disarray.
Lewis Hamilton’s optimistic feedback might function a brief balm over Ferrari’s deeper structural points, however they don’t change the truth that important progress is required forward of their subsequent race—Ferrari’s first residence Grand Prix of the season in Imola in two weeks’ time.
One main concern is a suspected aerodynamic flaw affecting the SF-25’s one-lap tempo. This was evident in Miami, the place Hamilton did not advance previous Q2 whereas Leclerc barely made it into Q3. Moreover, Ferrari’s hesitation in the course of the Grand Prix—taking too lengthy to determine whether or not to swap positions between Hamilton and Leclerc—raised additional doubts about operational sharpness.
Lewis Hamilton had proven strategic consciousness in the course of the Dash Race, the place he secured third place by reacting rapidly to tire degradation. Nevertheless, Ferrari lagged behind in figuring out the difficulty, regardless of having full entry to real-time information, highlighting an ongoing disconnect between driver instincts and pit wall selections.
Lewis Hamilton’s adaptation to Ferrari, after over a decade with Mercedes, continues to be a focus of the season. Whereas his calm and optimistic tone post-Miami might recommend he’s settling in, the onus is now on Ferrari to ship a automotive and technique that match his ambitions. After one other tough weekend, the crew should urgently deal with optimizing efficiency and cohesion as they head right into a vital European stretch of the calendar.
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