Lewis Hamilton is experiencing a challenging debut season with Ferrari. The seven-time world champion was welcomed with much fanfare in Maranello earlier this year, but so far, the results have been disappointing. He has lacked competitiveness, which could potentially lead to his first Formula 1 season without a podium finish. Two-time champion Mika Häkkinen warns Hamilton that it might take some time before the Ferrari can be fully tamed.
Since Hamilton made the switch to Scuderia this year, he seems to have fallen somewhat out of favor. After a long and illustrious period with Mercedes, the acclaimed Brit suddenly struggles with the Ferrari. Häkkinen still considers Hamilton an ‘incredible’ driver, but warns that it usually takes a long time for a driver to fully adapt to a new team – and vice versa.
“First of all, Lewis (Hamilton) is simply an incredible driver,” Häkkinen told the Hindustan Times. “He has achieved many successes over the years and has withstood all the pressure. It’s just impressive. But when you join a new team, it usually takes about four to five years before you can fully adapt the car to your driving style.” According to the Finn, the 40-year-old driver should therefore prepare for long-term success. “He needs to have the patience to wait that long,” concluded Häkkinen. “It’s unusual to join a new team and think: ‘Oh, this car is fantastic, I’m going to win races.’ That requires a lot of work and time.”
