Carlos Sainz warns Lewis Hamilton of the real challenge at Ferrari: “Complicated months ahead”. Carlos Sainz warns Lewis Hamilton about the real challenge of adapting to Ferrari,.

Carlos Sainz, former Ferrari driver who had to make way for Lewis Hamilton, has spoken again about his time with the Scuderia, offering an important warning to his successor.

While Lewis Hamilton is currently going through a difficult first year with Ferrari, Carlos Sainz—now with Williams—observes and comments with clarity.

Carlos Sainz’s words
Lewis Hamilton arrived at Ferrari amid huge expectations and media buzz, but after nine races in 2025 he has yet to reach the podium. The comparison with Charles Leclerc is harsh, and Carlos Sainz—who had to step aside for the British champion—cannot help but notice the adaptation struggles he knows all too well. Interviewed by Mundo Deportivo, the Spaniard does not express satisfaction over others’ difficulties but confirms what he himself has experienced with every team change: adapting takes more time than one might admit.

“When I arrived at Ferrari, people expected me to be competitive by the third race,” he recalled. “Now that even a seven-time world champion is having difficulties, maybe people will finally understand that switching teams is not so simple.”

The Spanish driver mentioned examples like Daniel Ricciardo, but above all shared his own journey at Ferrari: a pole, a win, and consistent performance that only came in the second half of 2022. For him, the key point is just one:

“The important thing is getting there. But the risk is never getting there at all, or that it might take a long time—even six months or more.”

Lewis Hamilton still has time to turn things around, but Carlos Sainz’s warning is clear: talent alone is not enough; patience, hard work, and the ability to survive difficult months are essential.