Jock Clear says Ferrari never expected Lewis Hamilton to match Charles Leclerc on ‘day one’

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Jock Clear, who worked with Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, says no one at Ferrari thought he would hit the ground running when he arrived.

After a turbulent first season with the Scuderia, Lewis Hamilton seems to have found his footing with Ferrari this year.

Earning his maiden podium with Ferrari allowed Hamilton to achieve a huge milestone with the team, and reminded everyone that he could still compete at the highest level.

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Some believe that Hamilton has pushed Charles Leclerc out of his comfort zone with his strong start to the 2026 season.

It is a stark contrast to how his first season at Ferrari went. But according to Charles Leclerc’s driver coach, Jock Clear, no one at Ferrari expected anything different from Hamilton.

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Lewis Hamilton had to adapt to ‘different DNA’ at Ferrari

Speaking with Peter Windsor, Ferrari senior performance engineer Jock Clear spoke about the improvement Lewis Hamilton has shown in his performance this season.

He noted that Hamilton had to adapt to Ferrari after years at another team, like Mercedes, and it was always going to take time.

“I’m really pleased for us, for them. In so much as, in recent times, Ferrari has been a bit of a punching bag for a lot of the fans. Some of it is justified, maybe, but I think a lot of it is unfair. We all felt the pain of Lewis’ struggles last year… My view on that wasn’t as dramatic as maybe others.

“Honestly, I think it reassures us of how difficult this is. When people say, ‘Oh, Lewis was just in the best car, and that’s why he won all the championships.‘.. You change team, a different culture, a different DNA to the team as well as the car, and Lewis struggled.

“Because it’s tough. With a year’s experience at Ferrari now, building relationships, and getting some of his input into the development, you’ve seen the difference this year. I’m not talking about lap time; that speaks for itself.

“But Lewis’ whole demeanour. He’s enjoying himself this year because he’s got a car that he feels a bit more confident with. And once you’ve got the confidence, you can really push further. That’s when you find out what the limitations are, then you can address those, and it becomes an organic development.”

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Lewis Hamilton’s former performance engineer explains why Ferrari move is finally ‘bearing fruit’

Speaking further, Clear admitted that Hamilton showing his frustration over his form last year wasn’t because he didn’t expect the challenge, but because he demands the best from himself.

“He’s keeping up with Charles, keeping Charles honest, and that’s what we expected, but we didn’t expect it on day one of last year. And people who did expect it, and Lewis didn’t. The fact that he was super frustrated is not a reflection that he didn’t expect this or prepare for it.

“But it was what it was. He’s a winner. None of us can doubt the fact that he’s a winner. When he wasn’t able to keep up with Charles, or he wasn’t able to get the podium and the wins, that’s frustrating for him, but he knew it was a process.

“Seeing him again, 10 years later from working with him at Mercedes, his work ethic and his attitude to digging in and getting the job done is as strong, if not stronger, than it has ever been. This year is just bearing a bit more fruit for him.”

While Hamilton’s comeback still has some questions that need to be answered, there’s no denying he looks rejuvenated this season.

The hope right now is that Hamilton, along with Charles Leclerc, can be in the championship mix this season, thus boosting Ferrari in the constructors’ race.