Lewis Hamilton’s candid remarks about his struggles adapting to Ferrari’s 2025 F1 automotive have stunned Danica Patrick, highlighting ongoing challenges for the seven-time world champion through the Canadian Grand Prix qualifying, which was held yesterday on the 4.361-kilometre Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal. Lewis Hamilton secured fifth place in Q3 for the third consecutive race, displaying a resurgence in his single-lap efficiency—a talent that had been much less evident since his transfer from Mercedes to Ferrari forward of the 2025 Components 1 season.
Early within the yr, the Briton solely managed a top-five qualifying place as soon as within the first seven rounds, however current sturdy performances in Monaco, Spain, and Canada display an enchancment. On the Canadian GP, Lewis Hamilton even led Ferrari’s qualifying efforts, outperforming teammate Charles Leclerc, who completed eighth after a troublesome session. This marked simply the third time Hamilton has out-qualified the Monegasque since becoming a member of Maranello.
Lewis Hamilton’s sturdy qualifying run helped shift focus away from the extreme hypothesis surrounding Ferrari’s staff principal Fred Vasseur. Italian media had reported that Fred Vasseur’s place may very well be in danger, with solely three races left to show himself amid Ferrari’s disappointing 2025 marketing campaign. Moreover, Ferrari is reportedly searching for solutions about Lewis Hamilton’s adaptation struggles to the SF-25 automotive, which differs considerably from his earlier Mercedes car. Regardless of his P5 qualifying place, Hamilton admitted that each race presents a brand new problem because of the distinct nature of Ferrari’s automotive.
In a current interview with Sky Sports activities F1, the seven-time F1 world champion defined that every observe appears like a first-time expertise with the Ferrari, describing the automotive as “very, very tough to adapt to.” He expressed optimism concerning the race, noting that the staff had new medium and arduous tyres out there, which might supply a strategic benefit. This admission of fixed adaptation challenges caught the eye of former IndyCar star Danica Patrick, who expressed shock at Hamilton’s feedback. Patrick stated she was notably intrigued by Hamilton’s description of the Ferrari’s variations from the Mercedes and was inquisitive about which points the driving force finds troublesome to deal with.
Lewis Hamilton’s largest technical hurdle has been Ferrari’s rear suspension design on the 2025 automotive, which has confirmed troublesome for him to grasp. Moreover, he has pushed for adjustments within the energy steering mapping to higher exploit the SF-25’s potential. Nonetheless, Ferrari is predicted to attend till the 2026 laws come into impact earlier than making such vital changes, which means Lewis Hamilton might have to deal with these challenges all through the remainder of the season. The British driver is keen for the staff to shift focus absolutely to subsequent yr’s automotive to enhance competitiveness.
Whereas the Briton continues to face these adaptation struggles and Ferrari falls additional behind McLaren within the Constructors’ Championship standings, many insiders share his considerations. Fred Vasseur stays one of many few Ferrari figures nonetheless assured within the 2025 automotive’s improvement, selecting to delay a full transition to the 2026 mannequin. In the meantime, Lewis Hamilton’s candid reflections underline the uphill battle the staff faces to regain its profitable kind.