Mercedes source makes bold prediction about Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari move ahead of Miami GP

Lewis Hamilton Reflects on Mercedes and Ferrari Adaptation Ahead of Miami GP: Pressure Builds Amid Ferrari Struggles

Ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton was asked to reflect on how his transition to Ferrari compares with his early days at Mercedes. The seven-time world champion acknowledged that his start at Mercedes had its difficulties, though he ultimately found success quickly. His adjustment to life at Ferrari, however, has so far proven to be a far greater challenge.

Hamilton, who rose through the ranks at McLaren under the mentorship of Ron Dennis and made his Formula 1 debut with the team in 2007, enjoyed immediate success in the sport. He claimed the 2008 world title in just his second season and went on to spend six years with the Woking-based outfit. When he made the high-profile switch to Mercedes in 2013, doubts surrounded the move, but he silenced critics by scoring a podium in only his second race and another shortly after in China.

More than a decade later, after forming the longest-standing driver-team partnership in F1 history with Mercedes, Hamilton now faces new hurdles in red. Despite a Sprint race victory in China, he has only managed to finish higher than seventh once in his first few outings for Ferrari.

During Thursday’s drivers’ press conference in Miami, Hamilton admitted that his first six months at Mercedes were difficult. However, when questioned about whether he expects a similar adaptation curve at Ferrari, the British driver confessed that he was uncertain about the timeline, emphasizing that it was impossible to know how things would unfold.

A former Mercedes insider who worked closely with Hamilton during his time in Brackley has offered a more optimistic outlook. Speaking to Jonathan McEvoy of the Daily Mail, the source recalled Hamilton’s 2014 championship win in just his second season with the team — a triumph that marked the beginning of an extraordinary run of six titles in seven years. They expressed confidence that the pieces could still fall into place for Hamilton at Ferrari, suggesting he has the potential to “soar” once more if the conditions align.

This source also downplayed the significance of Hamilton’s recent dip in form, suggesting that a boost in confidence could be all it takes to reignite his competitive edge. However, the 40-year-old has not shied away from expressing his frustrations, recently describing the remainder of the 2025 season as likely to be “painful” following a tough weekend in Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, the British driver’s former team Mercedes appears to be benefiting from its latest technical reset. With George Russell leading the way and consistent results across the board, the Brackley squad has climbed to second in the constructors’ standings — their strongest start since the introduction of ground-effect regulations.

At Ferrari, there is growing concern over Hamilton’s visible lack of engagement. Sky Sports’ Ted Kravitz reported that team boss Fred Vasseur remains supportive and is encouraging Lewis Hamilton to stay focused. Fred Vasseur’s confidence was evident in post-race interviews after Jeddah, even as results failed to match expectations. Just a few weeks ago in Bahrain, Hamilton showed glimpses of his old self, charging from ninth on the grid to finish fifth, suggesting progress was being made.

However, that momentum was short-lived. Following a disappointing outing in Saudi Arabia, former driver and pundit Martin Brundle questioned Hamilton’s setup choices, suggesting he may have taken the car in the wrong direction. The dramatic fluctuations in performance and morale have become a recurring theme early in this much-anticipated partnership.

Such emotional highs and lows were perhaps inevitable given the weight of expectation tied to Hamilton’s move to Ferrari. Still, his downcast tone in recent media appearances is beginning to raise eyebrows. BBC reporter Jennie Gow noted that Hamilton seemed noticeably disengaged during the Miami press conference, further fueling speculation that Vasseur may soon need to have a frank conversation with his star driver about the importance of maintaining team morale through the storm.