Ferrari says relationship with Hamilton is positive, blames frustration and adaptation for public perception
Ferrari's head of track engineering says the team's relationship with Lewis Hamilton is strong despite a difficult first season together, blaming public frustration on poor results and an underestimated adaptation period. He identified qualifying tyre preparation as the core technical issue holding the team back.
Ferrari insists its working relationship with Lewis Hamilton is "extremely positive" despite a season of terse radio messages and public frustration, with the team acknowledging it underestimated the adaptation period required after his blockbuster move from Mercedes. Track Engineering Head Matteo Togninalli claims the external perception is "much worse" than reality, attributing the strained image to competitive disappointment and the natural challenge of integrating a seven-time champion into a new environment.
Why it matters:
Hamilton's first season at Ferrari was defined by underwhelming results and visible on-track frustration, leading to widespread speculation about internal discord. Clarifying that the core relationship is strong is crucial for team morale and for managing expectations heading into a pivotal 2026 season, where Ferrari hopes its new car project will return it to title contention.
The details:
- Togninalli explained that changing teams after 12 years at Mercedes was a significant challenge for both Hamilton and Ferrari, involving new operational methods and personnel.
- He admitted the team "under evaluated" the time needed for mutual adaptation at the season's start.
- The primary source of visible frustration stemmed from performance, with Ferrari failing to win a race and finishing a distant fourth in the constructors' championship.
- Togninalli pinpointed qualifying tyre preparation as the team's biggest weakness, accounting for 90% of its problems, as the 2025 Pirelli compounds proved extremely sensitive and difficult to optimize for a single lap.
- He cited situational bad luck, like Hamilton hitting a bollard in Las Vegas qualifying or Charles Leclerc missing a final Q3 lap, as compounding the tyre-related struggles.
What's next:
Ferrari is banking on time and its 2026 car project, known internally as "Project 678," to turn its fortunes around. With the foundational relationship with Hamilton asserted as solid, the focus shifts entirely to solving the SF-25's qualifying woes and delivering a car capable of fighting for victories. The pressure is immense, as the team views the 2026 regulatory reset as a "now or never" opportunity to end its championship drought.