{"id":100999,"date":"2025-05-14T14:30:12","date_gmt":"2025-05-14T14:30:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/100999\/"},"modified":"2025-05-14T14:30:12","modified_gmt":"2025-05-14T14:30:12","slug":"deja-lew-hamilton-poised-for-welcome-reception-in-imola-despite-early-struggles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/100999\/","title":{"rendered":"Deja Lew – Hamilton poised for welcome reception in Imola despite early struggles"},"content":{"rendered":"

While the gap to Charles Leclerc<\/a> is slowly closing after a difficult adaptation period to life at the Scuderia, Lewis Hamilton<\/a> is far from happy \u2013 and he won\u2019t be, even if he manages to get the edge over his team-mate. Because his goal with Ferrari<\/a> isn\u2019t to beat the guy in the other red car; it\u2019s to win. Yet, despite some early promise, the conditions to do that simply aren\u2019t there.<\/p>\n

Looking beyond the outright results, Hamilton showed in Miami that he could get very close to Leclerc. After the difficulties encountered in China, Bahrain and especially Jeddah, the Briton managed to get the most out of what the SF-25 has to offer during the first US weekend of the season \u2013 at least returning to the same orbit, with only marginal gaps to his team-mate.<\/p>\n

However, while Lewis has at least started to see light at the end of the tunnel in terms of the internal battle, the broader picture remains clouded by disappointment \u2013 both within Ferrari and among the public. That disappointment, though, isn\u2019t about Hamilton\u2019s results, but rather the car\u2019s overall performance.<\/p>\n

Read Also:<\/p>\n

The euphoria around Hamilton\u2019s arrival at Ferrari peaked in February at Fiorano, where nearly 7,000 spectators turned up to watch his first laps in red. And while many more will be watching his first race in Italy for Ferrari this weekend at Imola, the level of enthusiasm has clearly taken a hit. But that has little to do with Lewis himself.<\/p>\n

Call it surprising, but even the general public in Italy seems to understand that Hamilton needs more time. You\u2019d expect people to say, \u201cHe\u2019s a seven-time world champion \u2013 he shouldn\u2019t need it,\u201d but so far that sentiment has been limited to a few media outlets.<\/p>\n

The tifosi, who turned up on a cold February morning at Fiorano to welcome him, are still behind him. And just as they shared the initial excitement over the dream they were about to live together, there is now a shared feeling between Lewis and the Italian fans \u2013 that of disappointment with the SF-25.<\/p>\n

\"Lewis <\/p>\n

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari<\/p>\n

Photo by: Ferrari<\/p>\n

Hamilton has been immersed (and still is) in the most accelerated learning process possible, working to shed the habits built up over twelve years at Mercedes<\/a> and adapt naturally to life at Ferrari, both in and out of the cockpit. But that\u2019s only one step \u2013 and one that was always expected to take time when he arrived in Maranello.<\/p>\n

Even in his final season at Mercedes, the initial feeling with the W15 was far from ideal. Interestingly, after the first six race weekends (excluding sprints), the internal score with his team-mate George Russell<\/a> was 5\u20131 in qualifying<\/a> and 4\u20131 in races in Russell\u2019s favour (in Australia, neither driver saw the chequered flag). Twelve months later, the comparison with Leclerc follows a similar trend: 5\u20131 in qualifying<\/a> and 5\u20130 in races, excluding China where both Ferraris were disqualified<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In 2024, Hamilton finished second in the Shanghai sprint (with Russell eighth), while this year he won it with Leclerc in fifth. Overall, after six races last year, Hamilton had scored 27 points to Russell\u2019s 37; this year, he has 41 points to Leclerc\u2019s 53.<\/p>\n

It rings a bell, doesn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n

There\u2019s not much that\u2019s different about Hamilton\u2019s start to 2025 \u2013 in fact, it almost feels like deja vu in a different colour scheme. But the Hamilton we\u2019re seeing this year has a noticeably different attitude compared to the one at the start of 2024. He wasn\u2019t exactly glowing back then, but he certainly didn\u2019t look as downcast as he has over the past two months.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t expect a smiling Hamilton just because he finishes ahead of Leclerc,\u201d says one close observer. \u201cThat might be a step, but it\u2019s not the end goal \u2013 not if that step is only good enough for fifth or sixth.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Charles <\/p>\n

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari<\/p>\n

Photo by: Jade Gao – Getty Images<\/p>\n

Last year, Mercedes didn\u2019t reach the podium until Canada, but in the five races that followed, it took three wins and two more top-three finishes. The season changed drastically: Hamilton won his home race at Silverstone, and the early frustration was soon forgotten.<\/p>\n

This year, the expectations were very different \u2013 and the outcome of the internal fight with Leclerc isn\u2019t something Hamilton is particularly interested in. Just as beating Russell didn\u2019t matter much last year.<\/p>\n

Hamilton has never lost faith in himself, just as he didn\u2019t after a tough start last season. He accepted the challenge of reaching Leclerc\u2019s level with the belief that he has all the tools to do it. But aiming for victories is another matter entirely \u2013 and in that case, the ball is in other hands.<\/p>\n

If Imola confirms the progress seen in Miami in terms of maximising the car\u2019s potential, that will be welcome news for Hamilton. But don\u2019t expect that alone to bring the smile back to his face.<\/p>\n

In this article<\/p>\n

Roberto Chinchero\n<\/p>\n

Formula 1\n<\/p>\n

Lewis Hamilton\n<\/p>\n

George Russell\n<\/p>\n

Charles Leclerc\n<\/p>\n

Ferrari\n<\/p>\n

Mercedes\n<\/p>\n

Be the first to know and subscribe for real-time news email updates on these topics<\/p>\n

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