After five Grands Prix with the Ferrari team, Lewis Hamilton has not yet achieved the results he had hoped for. The seven-time world champion has so far only managed a fifth place on the grid, with a single sprint victory in Shanghai being the exception. Consequently, the Briton has been facing a lot of criticism. Some experts are doubting whether Hamilton will stay with Scuderia for more than one season. However, he effortlessly shrugs off all criticism.
Charles Leclerc‘s podium finish at the recent Saudi Arabian GP was a bright spot for Ferrari. While the team won five Grands Prix last year, it has rarely been good enough for the top in this first phase of the new season. Ferrari debutant Lewis Hamilton, however, still seems to be lagging behind. In Jeddah, he had to concede more than thirty seconds to his teammate from Monaco.
This gives plenty of reason for the many Hamilton critics to question the abilities of the 40-year-old Brit. When he himself states that he needs a ‘brain transplant’ to understand the SF-25, it only provides more ammunition for those who doubt him. In the run-up to the Miami GP, Hamilton explained how he shrugs off all criticism. “I just don’t really think about it,” he declared during a press conference. “I try not to really focus on the opinions of people who don’t know what they’re talking about. After all, they’ve never been in my shoes.”
‘Making Changes Only Deteriorates the Car’
“So yes, I just keep a low profile and try to continue enjoying the work I do and the people I work with,” Hamilton said with a smile. He didn’t want to elaborate on why he is specifically struggling with his Ferrari. He recently visited the factory in Maranello, but he remained tight-lipped about that as well. “I can’t add much to it,” said Hamilton. “I mean, when I joined Mercedes, the first six months were also tough. I had to get used to working with new people.”
“Of course, the engineers I’m working with now are accustomed to the setup and driving style of other drivers,” he added. “I might be used to very different things. So it’s a combination of a whole bunch of different factors.” Hamilton was not convinced that the fact that Miami is a sprint weekend – just like China – would work in his favor. However, he hinted that the shortened weekend means there is less chance of mistakes in the setup. “I can’t really explain it well,” he concluded. “I think the most important thing is that we haven’t made many changes – if we’ve made any changes at all. In other weekends, we’ve tinkered with the car leading up to the qualification and made it worse.”
