Juan Pablo Montoya has highlighted how Lewis Hamilton’s exceptional racecraft has become even more apparent under Formula 1’s revised regulations. The seven-time world champion showcased his strategic brilliance in an extended on-track duel with teammate Charles Leclerc during the Chinese Grand Prix, ultimately coming out on top in one of the season’s most thrilling encounters.
Commentators such as David Croft noted that Hamilton demonstrated that classic, organic overtakes are still achievable in modern F1, praising the British driver for an inventive manoeuvre on Leclerc through turn eight during their intense battle. Hamilton had previously executed a similar move on George Russell during the Sprint race, although the Mercedes driver managed to maintain the upper hand in that instance.
Further acclaim came from former F1 driver David Coulthard, who described Hamilton’s approach as ‘creative racing’ throughout a weekend in which the Ferrari driver secured a podium finish for the first time in the iconic red livery.
Montoya sees Hamilton exploiting rivals’ energy recovery
Montoya expressed his appreciation for F1’s new battery regulations, which have sparked debate among drivers despite a notable increase in overtaking opportunities during the season’s first two rounds. While some drivers have criticized the power unit restrictions for producing artificial, ‘Mario Kart’-style racing, Montoya views the strategic deployment of energy as a critical and skillful element of the sport.
He pointed to Hamilton as a prime example, observing that the British driver strategically timed his attacks while Charles Leclerc and George Russell were recovering energy in the middle sector of the track. Montoya emphasized that although these moves carried inherent risks—particularly on long straights where Hamilton could have depleted his battery—the 41-year-old driver executed them with remarkable precision and without overextending his resources.
Montoya explained that when a driver is faster while attacking, it is possible to force competitors into using their energy in less optimal moments. Hamilton, according to Montoya, excelled in exploiting these windows, carefully using slightly more energy to complete overtakes in sections where rivals were conserving charge, with results that proved highly effective.
Hamilton’s tyre management marks a shift in the intra-team battle
Hamilton’s performance against Leclerc also signals a shift in the dynamic of their intra-team rivalry. Last year, Hamilton rarely finished ahead of his Ferrari teammate, managing it only from round nine in Spain onwards and achieving it just three times in total. After relentlessly pursuing Leclerc to the chequered flag in Australia, Hamilton finally gained the upper hand in China.
Montoya attributed this evolution in performance to Ferrari’s adaptations under the new regulations. The team adjusted the car’s handling to make it more ‘relaxed,’ which has allowed Hamilton to manage his tyres more efficiently and sustain a consistent pace throughout a race. He observed that the changes have leveled the playing field in the battle for tyre performance, a factor that previously favored Leclerc over long runs.
According to the former Formula 1 driver, Ferrari’s recalibration to accommodate Lewis Hamilton’s driving style has paid dividends. By making the car more manageable and easier to drive, the Briton has been able to challenge Leclerc on equal footing and even outperform him when it matters most. Montoya noted that this time, the Monegasque appeared to suffer more than Hamilton during the race, marking a notable reversal of the usual intra-team hierarchy in tyre management.
This combination of shrewd energy deployment and improved tyre handling demonstrates Hamilton’s growing mastery of Ferrari’s 2025 F1 package, reinforcing his reputation as one of the sport’s most intelligent and adaptable drivers under the evolving technical regulations.
