Minardi defends Hamilton after challenging Ferrari debut, says champion 'not finished'

Former F1 team owner Giancarlo Minardi has publicly defended Lewis Hamilton, insisting the seven-time world champion is "not finished" despite a difficult first season with Ferrari. Minardi pointed to Fernando Alonso's continued performance as evidence that talent doesn't fade with age, but success depends heavily on the car. He suggested Hamilton may have underestimated the challenge of leaving Mercedes' familiar environment and that the limitations of Ferrari's SF25 exacerbated the situation.

Why it matters:

Hamilton's move to Ferrari was one of the biggest stories in recent F1 history, but his 2025 season yielded zero podium finishes, sparking debate about his future competitiveness. A respected figure like Minardi publicly backing Hamilton counters a growing narrative and reinforces that driver performance is intrinsically linked to their machinery, a crucial context often lost in individual driver critiques.

The details:

• Direct Defense: Minardi preemptively stated, "I'll answer right away without even waiting for the question: no, Lewis is not finished," directly challenging critics who have questioned Hamilton's form.
• The Alonso Comparison: He used Fernando Alonso, who is older than Hamilton, as a key example, arguing that "a driver never loses his talent" and can remain "incredibly strong" if the car is competitive.
• The Transition Challenge: Minardi theorized that Hamilton likely "underestimated" the difficulty of leaving Mercedes after over a decade, entering a "new, unfamiliar world" at Ferrari.
• The Car Factor: He explicitly linked Hamilton's struggles to the "limitations of the SF25," which made an already tough transition worse for the British driver.

The big picture:

Hamilton's 2025 season marked a stark contrast to his dominant Mercedes era, failing to secure a single podium in 24 races. This has led to intense scrutiny, with figures like 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve also analyzing the shift. Minardi's comments cut through the results to focus on the fundamental sport dynamic: even the greatest drivers need a competitive car to show their worth. His defense suggests the F1 community is evaluating Hamilton's season through a more nuanced lens of team integration and car performance, rather than a simple decline in skill.

What's next:

All eyes will be on Ferrari's 2026 car development and how Hamilton adapts in his second season with the team. A more competitive chassis could instantly transform the narrative around his career's final chapter. The pressure is now on Ferrari to provide Hamilton with machinery that allows his talent to shine once more, potentially setting up a compelling storyline for his final years in the sport.