Longtime Ferrari test driver and current brand ambassador Marc Gené has publicly defended seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton from growing criticism, insisting that the British racing driver is not underperforming in his first season wearing the red of Scuderia Ferrari.
Ferrari continues development work with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc
Scuderia Ferrari recently returned to the track at the Mugello Circuit, located in the picturesque region of Tuscany, Italy, for a highly anticipated filming day. Both of the team’s official Formula 1 drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, took part in the session, which was strategically scheduled to provide crucial data on Ferrari’s new rear suspension package. The aim is to understand whether these recent upgrades can help the SF-25 secure some individual race victories in the remaining rounds of the 2025 Formula 1 season.
As the team awaits the first meaningful performance data to emerge from a full Grand Prix weekend — specifically the upcoming Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps — Ferrari ambassador and former test driver Marc Gené gave an interview to Spanish newspaper Diario Sport. In this interview, the 51-year-old Spaniard outlined Scuderia Ferrari’s ambitions for the remainder of the season and defended Lewis Hamilton against those who believe he is falling short of expectations.
Marc Gené outlines Ferrari’s goal: Second place in the Constructors’ Championship
“I hope the battle between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri continues until the end of the season,” explained Marc Gené, referring to the McLaren drivers who have emerged as strong contenders for the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship title. “Because I believe they are the two who will fight for the championship. As for us at Ferrari, we are more involved in the battle with Mercedes and Red Bull Racing, and we are working hard to secure second place in the Constructors’ Championship, which would be a very significant achievement for the team.”
Gené emphasized that, regardless of the title fight, Ferrari remains focused on performing well as a team. “We want to do a good job as a team, and I believe we are currently doing just that,” he said. “Our drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, are giving everything they have.”
Lewis Hamilton facing challenges in his debut season with Scuderia Ferrari
Marc Gené also commented on the adaptation struggles that Lewis Hamilton has faced since joining the team at the start of the 2025 season — difficulties that have resulted in performances falling short of the lofty expectations many had when the deal was first announced.
“It has been a very big change — not only for Lewis Hamilton but for all the drivers who have changed teams this season,” Marc Gené said. “They have all needed some time to adapt to their new cars. But in the case of Lewis Hamilton, the transition has been especially significant, because he spent 12 full seasons with Mercedes before making the move to Ferrari. It is not easy to leave behind such a long relationship and adapt to a completely different working environment, car philosophy, and technical structure.”
Gené highlighted that, despite early difficulties, Hamilton has begun to show promising signs. “Austria was perhaps his best race of the season so far,” he noted, “if we exclude the Sprint Race he won in China. He showed real pace and composure.”
Gené: Hamilton is improving, Ferrari must now deliver
“The truth is, he drove very well,” Marc Gené added. “And I have the feeling that he is adapting better and better to the car with each passing weekend. It’s important to remember that this entire season has involved a learning process for Lewis Hamilton — getting used to a new car, a new team, and a completely different way of working. That process will not be necessary anymore next year, since he will already be fully integrated into the Ferrari system by then.”
However, Marc Gené also pointed out that the responsibility now shifts to the team. “What remains to be seen,” he said, “is whether Ferrari will be able to provide Lewis Hamilton with a genuinely competitive car. It doesn’t matter how confident we may feel about 2026 — the truth is, we simply cannot know for sure how things will turn out with the new regulations.”
With that in mind, Gené’s comments underscore the importance of 2025 as a year of transition for Lewis Hamilton and for Scuderia Ferrari as a whole. The key to future success lies not only in the driver’s adaptation but in the team’s ability to give him the tools he needs to challenge at the front — something that Ferrari fans around the world are hoping to see very soon.
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