Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton remains optimistic as he continues his first Formula 1 season with Ferrari. Although he is still chasing his first Grand Prix podium in red during 2025 — having taken victory in China and third place in Miami, both in Sprint races — the British driver came close again in Texas, finishing fourth for the fourth time this year.
Despite missing out on a top-three finish, Lewis Hamilton says he feels satisfied with the progress he has made in adapting to life at Maranello. Since the summer break, he has noticed tangible improvements in his integration within the Scuderia.
“I feel that we are moving in the right direction. Rome wasn’t built in a day,” said Lewis Hamilton. “It takes time to build something. Being in my first year with the team, I wanted to be respectful of how they’ve done things in the past, to just observe and understand where our strengths and weaknesses are — to highlight the areas that need work. I think we’re starting to see some of the impact of the work we’re doing behind the scenes. I feel that the team is responding, and I hope this effort will also influence next year’s car.”
Lewis Hamilton went on to explain that the current Ferrari SF-25 was not a car he helped develop. “This car wasn’t one I had any input on over the previous years,” he said. “Hopefully from next season, my contribution will be part of the 2026 car — a car I’ll have helped to design and shape. I think we’re genuinely making progress as a team, and we’ve built a great relationship, especially since the summer break. Things are improving, and it’s all about building trust and communication.”
The British driver also acknowledged the cultural and linguistic differences that come with joining an Italian team. “I’ve entered a team where English isn’t the first language, and I don’t speak Italian, so it’s about finding common ground,” he explained. “But the fact is, we all want to win. We’re all here to achieve the same goal, and we just have to keep pushing. That’s why I try to keep everyone motivated during tough weekends, keeping spirits high.”
Lewis Hamilton revealed that many of the changes introduced at Ferrari this year came from his own suggestions. “This season we’ve changed a lot of things I had suggested — things that weren’t done before — so they’ve listened to me,” he said. “But nothing changes overnight. It takes time to build something solid. And for the engineers, everything must be backed up by data and evidence. That’s how they operate. So sometimes you have to insist to get certain changes implemented.” – the seven-time Formula 1 world champion concluded ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix weekend.
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