Hamilton, Ferrari, Can Speed Up Soon – Rene Arnoux

Former Ferrari driver Rene Arnoux tips Lewis Hamilton and the Maranello-based team to bounce back from a bad start to the 2025 season in Australia.

After all the pre-season hype, seven-time world champion Hamilton trailed Charles Leclerc all weekend – but both of them had to fight hard even to score minor points.

Bild newspaper called it a “disastrous debut” in red for the famous British driver, while Der Spiegel added: “A teenager who replaced him (Kimi Antonelli) stole the show from Hamilton.”

Arnoux, 76, told Italian radio Rai 1 that he also noticed the radio tension between Hamilton and his new race engineer Riccardo Adami. “He (Hamilton) lost a bit of enthusiasm but I understand that,” said the Frenchman.

“Of course he cannot be satisfied after this first race, which is where you understand the level you are at. And the two McLarens shot away like lightning.”

As for Ferrari, it is the top team that has stood out from the crowd with the most fundamental concept change between the 2024 and 2025 seasons. “They made a new suspension, but were unable to find the right setup for that type of track,” Arnoux continued.

“Both Hamilton and Leclerc found themselves with a car that was very difficult to drive. It seemed to me that there was more water for the two Ferrari drivers than for all the others. Every time they touched the throttle, they were sideways.

“The great thing,” Arnoux said, “is that we see three or four competitive teams at the start of this season. Ferrari cannot stay at this level and sooner or later they will catch up with the others, but I don’t know when.”

As for 40-year-old Hamilton, Arnoux joins those who warn that writing off the record winner of 105 grands prix is not wise.

“I understand he is disappointed, but it’s always difficult to change teams,” he said. “Because there is no longer the possibility of doing private tests, apart from the two-three days each year.

“It means that Hamilton arrived in Melbourne without really knowing the car, plus he discovered it in very delicate conditions. We need to wait 4 or 5 races to see if the car is truly competitive. But I certainly saw a very fast McLaren.”