The Scuderia Ferrari team aims to continue the positive momentum from Austin, where third and fourth place finishes boosted confidence. However, the challenge of the Mexican GP is very different, and Ferrari will have the opportunity to see if the lessons learned in the United States can be applied for the rest of the season. Hamilton admitted he is a bit concerned as he prepares for the free practice sessions.
The seven-time world champion set two records in the USA: he became the first driver in F1 history to surpass 5,000 career points and also the first Ferrari driver to go 19 consecutive races without a podium in a single season. This broke the previous record held by Didier Pironi, who went 18 races without a podium before winning at Imola in 1982. Lewis Hamilton’s 2025 campaign with the Maranello team was expected to be very different, but the Briton now feels more comfortable with the SF-25. While Charles Leclerc has collected all six Ferrari podiums so far, Hamilton is eager to end his podium drought, although he has concerns heading into Mexican GP free practice. His words to the media reveal his mindset.
Hamilton: “I’ll miss FP1, I’ll have to learn to drive quickly”
“I think we are still trying to get the most out of this car. In the last race, we really extracted the potential of the car. This car is a bit more capable and, from track to track, it behaves differently; you never know how strong the others will be. Ferrari was very strong here last year, so I hope we can learn the lessons from last year and apply them this weekend. I think the car will be very different from what I drove here last year and in previous years. I’ll miss FP1, so this weekend I’ll have to hurry and learn to drive quickly.”
Antonio Fuoco will take Hamilton’s place for the first Mexican GP free practice session. Charles Leclerc has already given up his seat twice this year (a new FIA rule) to rookie Dino Beganovic. Now it’s Hamilton’s turn, and he will return to the cockpit for FP2. While there is some concern about car setup, there is also confidence in replicating the positive performance shown in Austin. The season so far has been challenging, but the closing races could still bring surprises for Ferrari.
“Obviously this season has had its highs and lows, but I’d say we now have a clear path and are moving in the right direction. For me, 2025 has been a continuous learning journey, with each race teaching me something new. One thing is certain: the whole team, on and off track, is working together and pushing to keep improving. We came from a positive weekend where we generally achieved more. I’m confident we can try to do the same this weekend. I think we are on the right track.”
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