Lewis Hamilton has encountered a Ferrari team who are resistant to change since he joined from Mercedes. And some are calling for the British driver to be granted more influence.
Hamilton is the most successful driver in F1 history with seven world championships and 105 race wins. Ferrari, who have won 16 constructors’ titles and 248 Grands Prix, are the most decorated team, but they’re currently enduring a 17-year drought.
That will become 18 this year after they slipped 238 points behind the dominant McLaren at the halfway stage. Lead driver Charles Leclerc is 115 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri.
| Position | Constructors' Standings | Points |
| 1 | McLaren Racing | 460 |
| 2 | Scuderia Ferrari | 222 |
| 3 | Mercedes-AMG Petronas | 210 |
| 4 | Red Bull Racing | 172 |
Ralf Schumacher reckons that Hamilton has now realised he must adapt to the car, rather than waiting for Ferrari to make changes. He’s found consistency in recent races with six straight top-six finishes.
Simon Lazenby says Jock Clear has raved about Lewis Hamilton’s feedback
Speaking on the F1 Show after the British Grand Prix, Sky Sports host Simon Lazenby shared an illuminating conversation with Jock Clear. Clear has a dual role at Ferrari as a senior performance engineer and Leclerc’s driver coach.
But Clear also worked with Hamilton at the start of his Mercedes tenure, so he understands how big an asset he can be to the team. According to Lazenby, he’s pushing Ferrari to implement the 40-year-old’s advice.
Hamilton has been offering ‘amazing’ feedback on the handling of the SF-25. This may have influenced some of the team’s upgrades, but could have a greater bearing on their 2026 car.
Lazenby said: “I spoke to Jock Clear, who’s worked with Lewis at Mercedes and Ferrari on the performance side and getting the best out of things. If there’s anyone that will definitely be shouting from the rooftops, ‘Listen to what Lewis has to say’, it’s him.
“Apparently Lewis’ feedback is second to none, when he gets in there… there’s a reason he’s won seven world championships, his feedback is amazing.”
Ferrari’s secret car problem explained after mysterious Charles Leclerc answer
There are theories floating around the world of F1 as to why Ferrari are struggling this year. Fred Vasseur greenlit an overhaul this winter, including a change in front-suspension concept, and that may have been too aggressive.
What’s more, the departure of Enrico Cardile may have hurt Ferrari given that he formulated the vision for the 2025 car. Cardile’s move to Aston Martin was announced one year ago, forcing Vasseur to fill in as interim technical director.
There’s even talk that Ferrari may have an issue with their fuel pump that’s costing them at the end of qualifying. They are the only one of the top four teams yet to score a pole position this year.
Vasseur and Leclerc have been tight-lipped about a mysterious issue with the car, in addition to the fundamental problems. It turns out that Ferrari’s power steering is malfunctioning in high-speed corners, with neither driver receiving the expected feedback.
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