Ferrari insider explains why Carlos Sainz found it ‘easier’ to adapt than Lewis Hamilton

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Ferrari’s Marc Gene has admitted that the Scuderia may have ‘underestimated’ Lewis Hamilton’s transition at Maranello from Mercedes due to Carlos Sainz’s impressive adaptability when he joined the team in 2021.

From a results-based perspective, Lewis Hamilton’s debut season at Ferrari last year also happened to be his worst-ever season in F1. Despite it being one of the biggest driver moves in history, the British driver fell short of the mark as he failed to make a single podium appearance.

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Carlos Sainz, on the other hand, hit the ground running during his first term at Ferrari. The Spaniard secured four podiums in 2021 and still stands as the only teammate of Charles Leclerc’s who has beaten the Monegasque over the course of a full season of racing.

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Marc Gene pinpoints why Lewis Hamilton found it more difficult to adapt at Ferrari than Carlos Sainz

In an appearance on F1 journalist Albert Fabrega’s FABRECAST, former F1 driver and current Ferrari ambassador, Marc Gene, gave his thoughts on Hamilton’s transition from Brackley to Maranello.

The Spaniard highlighted how the British driver is now a lot more comfortable with his surroundings in Italy, while admitting that the Scuderia may have miscalculated how difficult Hamilton would find switching teams.

He said, ” There’s an adjustment period that we perhaps underestimated a bit. It’s not easy. And the changes for Sainz were a bit easier because he’s also been with many teams.”

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Before signing for Ferrari, Sainz had already put his talents to use at three other F1 outfits: Toro Rosso, Renault and McLaren. Williams is now the four-time Grand Prix winner’s fifth team in the sport, whereas the Scuderia marks Hamilton’s third.

“But when you’ve been with a team for so many years, getting the best out of another team when you’re so used to a certain way of working isn’t easy,” Gene added.

“He’s now more competitive because the car suits his driving style much better, but also because he, and we, know each other much better. We know what we need, and what he needs from us, with very important issues like power steering or the brakes.

“I think we’ve got closer. We’ve given him a bit more of what he was asking for, and he’s also moved closer to what we can give him.”

Sainz’s superpower has often been regarded as his impressive adaptability. Leclerc previously detailed his envy over the Spaniard’s prowess in the area, and it was a key factor in Sainz’s podium heroics at Williams last year.

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Lewis Hamilton revealed to Marc Gene that 2025 was the hardest year of his career

Earlier in the conversation with Fabrega, Gene revealed a conversation that he had with the seven-time world champion, who detailed just how difficult he found last year’s campaign.

The Spaniard said, “Last year was really tough for all of Hamilton’s fans, myself included, but above all, for him. I spoke to him on a few occasions. He told me he’d never had such a hard time in his sporting career. And now he’s happy.

“I think he’s absolutely relieved, as well as seeing that he still has the pace and can fight for podiums and race wins – and he’s going to do just that – and who knows, maybe even fight for the world title.”