Nigel Mansell expresses his admiration for Lewis Hamilton and hopes to see Ferrari return to the top of Formula 1
The current Formula 1 season has so far failed to meet expectations for both seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton and the Scuderia Ferrari team. The Maranello-based outfit has struggled to deliver on the promise it showed at the end of the previous season, and the performance of the 2025 car has not lived up to the ambitions that were set during the winter testing period. Back then, the goal was to contend for both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ World Championships — but as of now, that objective seems far from achievable.
Former Formula 1 World Champion Nigel Mansell has expressed his hope to see the iconic Ferrari team return to fighting for top positions on the grid.
The upcoming Belgian Grand Prix at the historic Spa-Francorchamps circuit will be a key moment in the season for Ferrari. The team is expected to debut a new rear suspension system that was recently tested at the Mugello circuit. This upgrade is being regarded as Ferrari’s final major development of the 2025 campaign and could prove crucial in altering the team’s trajectory for the second half of the championship.
However, there is a significant risk that by finalizing the development phase of the SF-25 this late in the season, the Italian squad may have compromised valuable time and resources that could have been invested in the 2026 project, which will have to comply with a completely new set of technical regulations.
Nigel Mansell’s perspective
Nigel Mansell, who won the Formula 1 World Championship in 1992, recently shared his thoughts on Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari and the British driver’s current experience with the team. Mansell, like Hamilton, is a British driver who also made the switch to Ferrari, having joined the Scuderia in 1989.
Mansell was approached by the media during the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where he took part by driving the legendary Williams car that carried him to his world title more than three decades ago.
“Lewis is fantastic, and he is a great world champion,” Mansell stated. “I just hope that Ferrari can recover some of what they had last year. They should be up there fighting at the top. It seems like they lost something over the summer break.”
The problems with Ferrari’s 2025 challenger are evident. The performance of the SF-25 has made it difficult for the team and for Lewis Hamilton to achieve strong results. Despite flashes of competitiveness, the consistency and speed needed to challenge Red Bull Racing or McLaren have been lacking.
For Lewis Hamilton, adapting to life at Ferrari has not been a simple task. After spending his entire Formula 1 career racing with teams based in the United Kingdom and exclusively powered by Mercedes engines, his transition to Scuderia Ferrari at this later stage in his career has required significant adjustment — not only to the car itself but also to the unique team culture and working methods employed at Maranello.
The transition has brought about a major shift for the veteran driver, both professionally and personally. Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari was heralded as a new chapter for both the driver and the team — a partnership between the most successful driver in Formula 1 history and the most iconic team in the sport. However, the journey so far has not delivered the expected results.
Nevertheless, voices like Nigel Mansell’s serve as a reminder of the enduring belief that Ferrari can and should return to the forefront of Formula 1 — and that Lewis Hamilton, with his vast experience and undeniable talent, can still play a key role in making that vision a reality.
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