Lewis Hamilton’s first season with Ferrari has been one of high hopes, but so far it has not produced the results either side had imagined.
As the Formula 1 paddock continues to debate whether the sport’s most decorated driver can rediscover his championship-winning touch, 1996 world champion Damon Hill believes the answer lies with Ferrari’s ability to deliver a truly competitive machine.
When Hamilton stunned the racing world by leaving Mercedes to sign with Ferrari for 2025, fans and pundits alike wondered if the seven-time world champion could become the catalyst for a new era of success at Maranello. But as the year has unfolded, both team and driver have faced more growing pains than glory.
Hill, speaking to GQ, said he supports Hamilton’s decision to switch teams, seeing it as the right move for a driver seeking longevity in the sport.
“I think it was the right decision if he wanted to carry on driving,” Hill reflected, noting that a fresh challenge can often reinvigorate even the most successful careers.
But he made it clear that any chance of a Hamilton renaissance will come down to the car Ferrari builds around him. “If they can provide him with a competitive car then I think we’ll see the Lewis of old back again, at least for a bit,” Hill said.
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Hamilton’s Future Hinges on Ferrari’s Progress
Hill was honest about the realities of competing at the front as drivers age, highlighting the mental grind of racing outside the podium positions.
“You do find it harder to drive a car that isn’t competitive as you get older,” Hill said. “When he gets a sniff of victory he’s back, but it’s very hard to keep slogging around.”
Now 40, Hamilton’s Formula 1 journey is often compared with Fernando Alonso, his former teammate, who remains on the grid at 43. Hill praised Alonso’s relentless drive even without title-winning equipment, but questioned whether Hamilton still has the same hunger.
“That’s why I’ve been so enormously impressed by Fernando, who continued to bang in results, even if he doesn’t have to,” Hill noted. “I’m not sure Lewis feels there’s a bit missing anymore. He’s won everything. I know he doesn’t have that eighth world title, but he can be satisfied with what he’s got.”
Despite a challenging first half of the season, Hamilton has shown flashes of brilliance in red. He delivered his best results for Ferrari with back-to-back fourth-place finishes in Austria and at Silverstone, and he also claimed a sprint race win in China earlier in the year.
At Silverstone, Hamilton openly discussed the SF-25’s struggles in the wet, calling it the most difficult car he has ever driven in such conditions. Yet, he continues to push the team forward, offering detailed technical feedback and maintaining optimism for the 2026 regulations, when all teams will have a new opportunity to build a dominant car.
Ferrari, meanwhile, are adamant they remain united behind team principal Fred Vasseur. CEO Benedetto Vigna made a rare paddock appearance at Silverstone, publicly backing Vasseur amid speculation about his future.
The team acknowledges that closing the gap to McLaren and Red Bull will require improvement, especially as the technical direction of the SF-25 has not consistently matched their rivals on pace or adaptability.
Can Hamilton and Ferrari Build a New Legacy?
Hamilton has already begun looking ahead, working closely with Ferrari’s engineers as the sport prepares for sweeping rule changes in 2026. Italian media have urged Ferrari to make the most of Hamilton’s vast experience and championship pedigree, calling for the team to “listen carefully” to his insights as they develop next season’s car. Both Hamilton and the team are eager to turn potential into results.
Hill’s message is clear: the story of Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari is still being written. If Ferrari gives him the right tools, there is every reason to believe Formula 1’s most successful driver could recapture the magic of his prime. But if the Scuderia falls short, Hamilton may find himself, like so many before him, forced to settle for flashes of glory rather than a final chapter crowned in gold.
