Ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton took part in the usual Thursday press conference, addressing several topics including business successes, sporting ambitions and – most notably – the technical difficulties with the current Ferrari SF-25, developed solely by Charles Leclerc. The seven-time world champion spoke candidly about his time at Ferrari, also offering some significant reflections on the work to be done for the future.
Hamilton said he was very satisfied with his off-track commitments, specifically mentioning the launch of his collection with Dior and his various business ventures.
“It’s been a full year. I’ve got some amazing new partners, I just launched my collection with Dior which I’m very proud of – go check it out online. I’ve got a lot of great things going on. Off the track, everything is going really well and I’m working hard to make sure that translates into results on track too.”
Problems with the Ferrari? The SF-25 was developed only by Charles Leclerc
The British champion made clear, however, that his main objective remains competitiveness on track, where Ferrari has yet to show its full potential. Lewis Hamilton pointed out that the SF-25 is a car developed without his technical input.
“Obviously I want to be in front. We need to bring more performance to the car. We had an upgrade in Bahrain, and hopefully we’ll have another one soon. We’re also at that stage where we need to start working on next year’s car.”
The most significant part of his remarks came when he explained why he still feels the need to adapt to Ferrari: “The car I’m driving now isn’t one I’ve contributed to developing over the past four years. I’m driving a car that obviously Charles helped develop, that he knows very, very well, and it’s a car with its difficulties. But I’m enjoying the challenge.” – he pointed out.
These statements reflect the transitional phase the British driver is experiencing, as he adapts to Ferrari and looks to start building a tailored project for the future as soon as possible. Hamilton’s positive approach, despite the difficulties, could be the key to closing the gap with rival teams.
The Montreal weekend, on a track where Lewis Hamilton has always shown a special feeling, will be a crucial test to see whether the early signs of improvement from the Scuderia can be converted into tangible results.
