Former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya has highlighted a persistent issue affecting the relationship between Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari engineers as the Italian team works to optimize the performance of the British driver.
Since joining the 16-time constructors’ champions, Hamilton has not been able to consistently replicate the form that made him one of the sport’s all-time greats. He is currently experiencing the longest stretch in his Formula 1 career without finishing on the podium. Charles Leclerc reportedly advocated strongly for Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari once he learned that the team was considering the British driver. Fred Vasseur, another influential figure within the Scuderia, also expressed keen interest in bringing Hamilton to Maranello to strengthen their lineup.
Despite perceptions that Hamilton is underperforming, his 2025 season statistics are not drastically different from his performance in his final year with Mercedes. The main distinctions are the two Grand Prix victories he secured at Silverstone and Spa during his last season with the German team, achievements that Ferrari has yet to replicate with him this year.
Ferrari engineers insist Hamilton must adapt his driving style
During an appearance on the MontyoAS show with AS Colombia, Juan Pablo Montoya was asked whether Ferrari made the right decision in replacing Carlos Sainz with Lewis Hamilton, particularly considering the progress the Spanish driver was making with the team at the time.
Montoya explained that Carlos Sainz’s first season at Ferrari was far from smooth, with the Spaniard struggling to adjust to the Maranello machinery. Montoya noted that when the team chose to sign Lewis Hamilton, Carlos Sainz was still facing significant challenges, only beginning to perform consistently afterward. He suggested that if Ferrari had delayed their decision by a year, they might have opted to retain Sainz, underlining the importance of patience when integrating drivers into a new team.
The Colombian then addressed the ongoing difficulties Hamilton has faced, particularly pointing to the persistent approach of Ferrari’s engineering team, who have repeatedly emphasized that the seven-time world champion must modify his established driving style. Montoya remarked that Hamilton has driven successfully in a particular way for many years, but he is now being asked to adjust to different technical demands, even when the car itself is not yet fully optimized for those changes.
Oliver Bearman emerges as a potential successor to Hamilton at Ferrari
Speculation about Hamilton’s future intensified after former F1 driver Christian Danner described the possibility of the 40-year-old retiring at the end of 2025 as realistic. Hamilton’s recent comments at the Hungarian Grand Prix have only fueled these discussions, leaving the door open for a potential departure from the sport’s top tier.
Ferrari, anticipating such a scenario, appears to have identified Oliver Bearman as the most likely candidate to replace Lewis Hamilton once he steps away from Formula 1. The young British driver made a strong impression during his F1 debut last year at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, stepping into the car of an appendicitis-stricken Carlos Sainz and finishing an impressive seventh.
Former F1 commentator James Allen has suggested that Hamilton is unlikely to switch to another team, indicating that his remaining options are either continuing with Ferrari or retiring. Allen emphasized that a move to a different team would require Hamilton to spend additional seasons adapting to new machinery before achieving meaningful results, a scenario that seems improbable for a driver of his experience and stature.
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