Lewis Hamilton’s former competitor has criticized Ferrari’s management style as “chaotic,” but he believes that Hamilton’s inaugural season with the team has not been as disastrous as it may seem. Hamilton, who joined Ferrari at the start of this year, has faced challenges and setbacks, with his aspirations of success in the iconic red team not materializing as expected.
During his challenging first ten months at Ferrari, the 40-year-old driver has shown signs of frustration and self-doubt. Hamilton, typically known for his strong performances, has surprisingly expressed disappointment in himself, faced communication issues with his race engineer, and struggled to achieve a podium finish, setting a record as the longest-serving Ferrari driver without a podium.
In the recent Mexican Grand Prix, despite a strong third-place qualification, Hamilton’s race was marred by an incident with Max Verstappen that led to a time penalty and an eighth-place finish. As a result, Hamilton currently sits in sixth place in the drivers’ championship, trailing his teammate Charles Leclerc by 64 points.
However, former F1 driver Esteban Gutierrez, who has experience racing against Hamilton and working with Ferrari, believes that Hamilton’s performance should be viewed in the broader context of Ferrari’s unique environment. Gutierrez, who now has ties with Mercedes, acknowledges the challenges of transitioning from an English team to an Italian powerhouse like Ferrari.
Gutierrez remains optimistic about Hamilton’s potential for improvement in the upcoming season, especially as new regulations could level the playing field in 2026. Despite past disagreements, Gutierrez emphasizes the difficulty of achieving success with Ferrari and suggests that Hamilton’s learning curve this year could set the stage for future accomplishments.
The insight from Gutierrez offers a perspective that acknowledges the complexities of competing with Ferrari and highlights the potential for Hamilton to grow and adapt in the demanding environment of the Italian team.
