Lewis Hamilton reveals the pressure of racing for Ferrari: "Like a rollercoaster"

Lewis Hamilton reveals the pressure of racing for Ferrari: “Like a rollercoaster”. Lewis Hamilton explains what it means to be a Ferrari driver.

Lewis Hamilton is slowly learning what it means to be a Ferrari driver. It’s not just about being part of a historic Formula 1 team, but also adapting to a completely different cultural system.

Gradually, the seven-time world champion has admitted he’s still struggling to get used to the SF-25. As with all things, it simply takes time.

“On one hand, I expected it. It’s the biggest team in the history of Formula 1. And it’s so special—there are many stories that have been written, and a lot of people have their opinions,” said Hamilton on Thursday during the press conference ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend in Jeddah.

“It’s not always easy. From my perspective, you can’t work in a team and change things overnight,” #44 emphasized. “We’ve spent time getting to know each other. There have been short-term changes we’re making together; we’re keeping the best parts and continuing to invest in areas where we’ll be stronger. Some things take little time, others take more. There are so many things within this team,” he continued.

Speaking about media pressure, which often amplifies what happens inside a team—especially when it comes to Ferrari, where exposure is at its highest—Sir Lewis responded: “There’s a lot more pressure and you’re under the spotlight here more than in any other team. Everyone here puts their heart into it. Ours is a rollercoaster; we go through the highs and lows together. I don’t doubt we’ll get to where we want to be. It’ll just take time,” the seven-time Formula 1 world champion concluded.

Ferrari: what to expect in Saudi Arabia

The Scuderia looks ahead to the weekend in Jeddah with optimism, which will wrap up the triple header (three consecutive races) that started in Japan. As Charles Leclerc has already subtly hinted, the updates introduced in Bahrain will have a stronger effect in Saudi Arabia, and we will certainly see some improvement in performance.

For Ferrari, it’s imperative to close the gap to McLaren, which currently seems out of reach. The Woking-based team has won three of the four races held so far and leads the Constructors’ Championship.