Looking back on a disappointing season after seventeen Grands Prix with Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton‘s arrival has thus far left much to be desired, barring a single sprint victory. Moreover, he is still waiting for his first podium finish with Scuderia – a painful record looms. According to former driver Marc Surer, this apparent decline of Hamilton underscores his position within Formula 1.
In an interview with Austrian magazine Vollgas, Surer criticized Hamilton’s lackluster season with Ferrari. “Lewis is simply a spoiled child who has always driven the best cars,” he complained. “If the car is good, he wins easily. But as soon as he doesn’t have the fastest car, he runs into trouble.” Surer compared him to two-time champion Fernando Alonso. “Hamilton is not like Alonso; he can live with compromises and get the most out of the car.”
What surprises Surer the most is that Hamilton is struggling so much with the handling of the SF-25. The Brit has complained about the red car several times this year. “I didn’t expect that,” the Austrian continued. “I thought he would shine in every race thanks to his experience. But that’s not happening.” This year, Hamilton is being outperformed by teammate Charles Leclerc, who has already made it to the podium five times and has significantly beaten the Brit in qualifying duels. Marc Surer drove in Formula 1 himself between 1981 and 1985, mainly for Arrows.
