Damon Hill believes Lewis Hamilton now understands Ferrari comes before any driver after Miami

Damon Hill Believes Lewis Hamilton Was Reminded No One Is Bigger Than Ferrari During the Miami Grand Prix

The 2025 Formula 1 Sprint Races have followed a strikingly consistent trajectory for Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton so far this season. While Hamilton has managed to secure podium finishes in both Sprint events—victory in Shanghai and a third-place finish in Miami—the Grand Prix results continue to reflect broader challenges for the Scuderia.

Back in China, Hamilton’s high in the Sprint was quickly followed by a dismal Sunday performance, with both he and teammate Charles Leclerc struggling. Notably, Leclerc managed to outperform Hamilton despite sustaining front wing damage, though both drivers were later disqualified for technical infringements. In Miami, although the emotional highs weren’t as lofty, Ferrari did manage to collect 10 points between the Sprint and Grand Prix, offering a modest sense of consistency.

That total, however, fell short of what rival teams like Williams managed to achieve, a point that will likely concern team principal Fred Vasseur. With a quarter of the season already behind them, Ferrari’s championship hopes appear to be fading fast.

Internally, Charles Leclerc has expressed visible frustration over the lack of progress with Ferrari’s updates, while Hamilton is still finding his rhythm following his high-profile departure from Mercedes. One of the more widely discussed moments from the Miami weekend revolved around Ferrari’s race strategy and in-race communication, which sparked commentary from 1996 world champion Damon Hill.

Hill, who provided analysis during the race for BBC Sport, believes the Miami Grand Prix served as a significant learning moment for Hamilton—a realization that even a seven-time world champion must submit to the ethos of Scuderia Ferrari, a team whose identity often transcends individual drivers.

During the race, as Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were running nose-to-tail, Lewis Hamilton’s race engineer Riccardo Adami instructed him to maintain DRS behind Leclerc and avoid a risky battle, with Carlos Sainz closing in from behind. Hill interpreted this moment as emblematic of Ferrari’s deeply ingrained culture, suggesting that Hamilton, despite his illustrious career, was being reminded that no one is bigger than Ferrari—not even Lewis Hamilton.

Hill noted that Ferrari’s enormous investment in Hamilton was made with the expectation of delivering results. He interpreted Lewis Hamilton’s on-track frustration as the Briton attempting to communicate that he can produce those results—provided the team empowers him with the right decisions and strategy.

As the race progressed, the Briton was eventually given the green light to overtake Charles Leclerc, but was still instructed to stay within DRS range to shield against Carlos Sainz. The former Formula 1 driver supported Hamilton’s request to be let through, asserting that the Brit clearly had more pace and could have chased down additional points for the team. He emphasized that prolonged intra-team battles only serve to degrade tyre performance and squander opportunities.

Despite the tension, Hill credited Hamilton for demonstrating the qualities of a champion over the course of the Miami weekend. One such moment came during the Sprint, where Hamilton executed an effective strategy that earned him a valuable third place. Hill pointed out that Ferrari should take cues from Hamilton’s situational awareness and race management, especially when it comes to interpreting real-time feedback from their drivers.

In qualifying, the British driver was unable to make it past Q2, though the performance gap between him and Charles Leclerc was minimal. Even so, Hill praised Hamilton’s determination to extract the most from the car under difficult conditions—an effort he described as reflective of a seasoned champion unwilling to give in, even when things aren’t going to plan.

While Lewis Hamilton hasn’t suddenly lost his edge, Ferrari must step up their game to truly unlock the potential of their newest asset. If the team can better adapt to Hamilton’s driving style and feedback, especially in strategic moments, they may yet turn the tide in a season that is quickly slipping away.