Lewis Hamilton has moved to clarify his recent comments about Ferrari, insisting he has no regrets about his blockbuster move from Mercedes despite a challenging debut season with the Italian team.
Frustration in the Heat of the Moment
The seven-time world champion's difficult first year with Ferrari reached its lowest point at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, where he qualified a dismal 20th and last on the grid. Although he fought back to finish tenth in the race, later being elevated to eighth following disqualifications for Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, his post-race remarks raised eyebrows.
Hamilton had stated he was 'eager for the year to end' and added that he was 'not looking forward to 2026 either'. Speaking ahead of this weekend's Qatar Grand Prix in Doha, the British driver attributed these comments to the 'heat of frustration'.
'I would be surprised if the other drivers are excited about next year at the end of a season,' Hamilton explained. 'Usually, you don't have a lot of energy at the end of the season. It was in the heat of frustration and often there is a lot of frustration at the end of a race when it does not go well. I am excited to see what the team does next year.'
Standing by the Ferrari Dream
Hamilton's move to Ferrari, leaving the Mercedes team that carried him to six of his seven world championships, was seen as fulfilling a lifelong ambition. When questioned directly about whether he now regrets that decision, he remained steadfast.
'That is a hypothetical question and I will not really get into that,' he stated. 'But I don't regret the decision I made, joining this team. I know it takes time to build and grow within an organisation and I expected that.'
The Leclerc Challenge and Team Integration
The statistics from Hamilton's first season with Ferrari make for stark reading. He currently finds himself a significant 74 points behind his teammate, Charles Leclerc, in the drivers' championship and is still awaiting his first podium finish in the famous red car.
Furthermore, the qualifying battle has been one-sided, with Hamilton being out-qualified by Leclerc 17 times in their 22 appearances together. The Monegasque driver has secured seven top-three finishes this season.
Despite this, Hamilton shows no signs of concern. 'I am not concerned about that. I have just been focusing on my side during this period,' he asserted.
He was quick to praise Leclerc's performance while contextualising their different situations within the team. 'Charles has done a great job. He has been here for seven years and he has a team around him who he has worked with for many years so it is a well-oiled machine.'
Hamilton contrasted this with his own experience: 'On my side, it is a new group of people. It is a new environment that I am still getting used to. We are working as hard as we can to get it to work as well as we can and to compare it to someone who has had it for seven years, you don't just do it like that. It takes a bit of time.'
As the Formula 1 circus arrives in Qatar, all eyes will be on Hamilton to see if he can translate this patient optimism into a stronger on-track performance in the final stages of the season.
