Ferrari, with Hamilton the turning point is near: in Baku “better” than Leclerc
Lewis Hamilton was one of the few drivers to climb the order at the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku. According to a former driver, his performance could represent a turning point in his adventure with Ferrari.
It was a quiet race, but also one of his strongest of the year. At the Baku Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton showed significant progress with the Ferrari SF-25. The seven-time world champion, who started from twelfth on the grid, was among the very few drivers capable of making up places. At the finish line he even beat Charles Leclerc, despite the controversy surrounding the lack of a swap between the two Scuderia drivers. These are positive signals that inspire hope for the future, as pointed out by a former racing driver.
A flat race saved by underdogs
This year, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix did not quite meet expectations. After a chaotic start and Oscar Piastri’s crash, the race quickly flattened out, with few overtakes, plenty of DRS trains, and very little excitement in what is usually a spectacular round of the championship. The day was saved by the underdogs—Carlos Sainz and Liam Lawson—who, despite driving cars less competitive than their rivals, fought hard and brought home two extremely valuable results for their teams.
Behind them, Lando Norris and the two Ferrari drivers struggled to stand out. Norris started seventh and finished in the same position, while Charles Leclerc gained just one place from his tenth-place start. Lewis Hamilton, however, did better: from twelfth on the grid, he climbed to eighth, finishing ahead of his teammate. Of course, it is important to take into account Oscar Piastri’s accident and Fernando Alonso’s issues, but according to James Hinchcliffe, Hamilton’s race was extremely positive overall.
Hinchcliffe: “One of Hamilton’s best races of the year”
Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, James Hinchcliffe praised Hamilton’s drive in Baku: “For Ferrari, finishing eighth and ninth might seem insignificant, almost like a footnote. But this was a race where we expected major comebacks from the championship contenders, and none of them really managed it. To see Lewis Hamilton start twelfth and finish eighth, beating Charles Leclerc, has to be one of the best drives of the day.”
“He beat his teammate,” continued Hinchcliffe, also known as the “Mayor of Hinchtown.” “He clearly had much more confidence in his car. He looked more relaxed, enthusiastic, and genuinely happy to be racing compared to the recent past. I really hope they understood what made the difference, because in the past there have been positive moments, but the momentum never lasted through an entire weekend.”
“Even after qualifying, he remained optimistic. He knew he could make up positions, and that is exactly what he did. I hope he can maintain this spirit in the coming races, because he is finally finding the right feeling with the SF-25. That is exciting news for all of us,” concluded the former IndyCar driver.
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