Jolyon Palmer doubles down on 2025 Ferrari prediction that Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will love

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Ferrari were hit with a strong dose of reality over the winter as a bold change in philosophy failed to fire them to more success.

Instead, their drivers have struggled and done quite well to have them positioned second in the constructors’ championship at the summer break.

Charles Leclerc has multiple podiums and doesn’t look like slowing up any time soon, after a lightning pole position at Hungary a short few weeks ago.

Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton is in the midst of a torrid run of Ferrari form and will be desperate to turn the tide soon, starting with the upcoming Dutch Grand Prix.

James Hinchcliffe has insisted that ‘no one agrees’ with Hamilton that he is ‘useless’ at Ferrari, after a difficult run of races last month.

However, Leclerc offers Ferrari a ‘natural ability’ that his teammate cannot, by adapting his driving style as he wants.

READ MORE: Fred Vasseur criticises an ‘extreme’ aspect of Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari approach which is an ‘issue’

Jolyon Palmer doubles down on 2025 Ferrari prediction that Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will love

Hamilton had ‘complaints’ about a key Ferrari ally and was wary that he might face brake issues before he completed a competitive lap.

A new material introduced at the Belgian Grand Prix didn’t do much to improve his results, and he will have spent the last few weeks trying to figure out why his pace has dropped off so much.

Ferrari hope an ‘internal’ regret for 2025 will end up helping them for next year, but Jolyon Palmer hasn’t given up all hope of them winning a race this year. He continues to stand by a pre-season prediction that they still can.

“At least they had performance [in Hungary]. It looks very likely that they had to limp their car home, having gone a bit too aggressive on ride height in the race,” he said on the F1 Nation podcast.

“But at least, I think they showed a sort of aggressive search for performance. They did get pole position, on a circuit that wasn’t necessarily one of their favoured ones.

“I don’t think Zandvoort will necessarily be there either for Ferrari, but I’m looking to Monza and to Singapore as probably better chances for them, with low-speed corners and better chances against.”

READ MORE: Juan Pablo Montoya identifies the ‘problem’ between Lewis Hamilton and unyielding Ferrari engineers

What does the 2025 F1 head-to-head look like between Ferrari’s drivers?

Leclerc reacted positively to hearing Ferrari wanted to sign Hamilton and the two seem to have a strong working relationship as teammates.

On the track, he also appears to have had the measure of his more experienced and decorated counterpart, leading their head-to-head 11-2 in Grands Prix.

In sprint races, however, the tide turns in Hamilton’s favour, who has a slender lead of 2-1. In qualifying, the Monegasque driver has also been impressive.

He leads 10-4 over Hamilton, and 2-1 in sprint qualifying sessions, which means he’s had the general measure of him all around.

While they’re fifth and sixth in the standings, they’re separated by 42 points. If they want to finish second in the constructors’, then winning a race may be critical during the final 10 rounds of the season.