Nico Rosberg reflects on Lewis Hamilton’s toughest Ferrari moments

Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari journey has become one of the most fascinating storylines in modern Formula 1. After enduring a challenging adaptation period during his first season in Maranello, the seven-time world champion now appears to be enjoying a resurgence that is beginning to justify Ferrari’s long-term faith in his abilities.

While the current campaign has delivered encouraging signs for both Lewis Hamilton and the Scuderia, the road to this point was far from straightforward. The British driver faced intense scrutiny throughout his debut season with Ferrari, struggling to extract the maximum performance from a car that never fully suited his driving style.

Compared to the optimism that surrounded his arrival from Mercedes, the reality proved far more complicated. Race weekends frequently ended with frustration, and Lewis Hamilton often appeared dissatisfied with the balance and characteristics of the car. At the same time, Charles Leclerc was generally more comfortable with the package, creating an additional benchmark that only intensified the pressure.

A different Ferrari in 2026

The situation has changed dramatically since the introduction of Formula 1’s new regulations. Ferrari’s SF-26 appears to be far more aligned with Lewis Hamilton’s preferences, allowing the Briton to showcase the qualities that helped him become one of the most successful drivers in the history of the sport.

Already this season, Lewis Hamilton has secured two podium finishes and arrives at the Monaco Grand Prix on the back of an impressive second-place finish in Canada. The Montreal weekend was particularly significant because he consistently outperformed Charles Leclerc throughout the event, demonstrating a level of confidence that was rarely visible during his first year in red.

The renewed competitiveness has also been reflected in his demeanor. Across several race weekends in 2026, Lewis Hamilton has appeared noticeably more relaxed, motivated and optimistic than during the difficult adaptation phase that followed his departure from Mercedes.

Nico Rosberg’s view on Ferrari’s difficult transition

Few people understand Lewis Hamilton’s mindset better than Nico Rosberg. The two drivers grew up racing together in karting before becoming teammates and title rivals in Formula 1, culminating in their intense championship battles at Mercedes between 2014 and 2016.

Speaking on the High Performance podcast, Nico Rosberg reflected on the challenges Lewis Hamilton encountered during his first season at Ferrari and explained why he believes the experience was particularly painful for the seven-time world champion.

According to Nico Rosberg, the combination of adapting to a completely new environment, facing enormous expectations from Ferrari supporters and being measured against a younger teammate created an exceptionally demanding situation. Rosberg suggested that, despite the Briton’s achievements and experience, the circumstances represented one of the most uncomfortable periods of his Formula 1 career.

The 2016 world champion noted that from an outside perspective it appeared as though Lewis Hamilton had found himself under pressure from multiple directions at once. Adjusting to a new team after spending more than a decade at Mercedes was never going to be easy, especially while trying to deliver immediate results for Formula 1’s most famous team.

Monaco presents a different challenge

Although the momentum currently appears to be with Lewis Hamilton, Monaco will offer a very different test compared to Canada. The Circuit de Monaco has historically been one of Charles Leclerc’s strongest venues, and the Ferrari driver will once again carry the hopes of the home crowd.

For Lewis Hamilton, maintaining the level of performance shown in Montreal would send another powerful signal regarding his growing comfort inside the Scuderia. Matching or even challenging Charles Leclerc around one of the most technical and demanding circuits on the Formula 1 calendar would further strengthen the perception that the British driver has finally turned the page on his difficult first season.

With Ferrari showing encouraging pace and Lewis Hamilton arriving in Monaco with renewed confidence, the weekend could provide another important indication of how far both driver and team have progressed since the struggles that once defined the beginning of their partnership.