Lewis Hamilton Has Lost Qualifying ‘Raw Speed’

Lewis Hamilton might struggle in qualifying but he might still be “the best” in the grands prix after switching to Ferrari.

That’s the view of a low-profile former Formula 1 driver, Nicolas Kiesa, who contested just a handful of races for Minardi in 2003 as Jos Verstappen’s teammate.

He was asked by Danish news agency Ritzau about the significance of Briton Hamilton, 40, making the sensational leap from Mercedes to Ferrari for 2025.

“It’s special going from an English team to an Italian team,” said Kiesa. “I’ve experienced it myself, and you really have to get used to things being done differently.

“First of all, there is a language barrier, which will be a challenge at first. You don’t know the right phrases, and your reaction time will be slower as a result.”

Reports suggest Hamilton is starting the 2025 season with a pace deficit compared to his established teammate Charles Leclerc.

However, Kiesa thinks the seven time world champion should still be regarded as one of F1’s top drivers.

“He no longer has the raw speed for qualifying that he had ten years ago, but he is possibly still the best at running a stable and fast pace over a race distance,” said the 46-year-old.

“The one who becomes world champion is the one who drives the races on Sundays most efficiently. Hamilton has the routine for that and has one of the best racing brains of anyone on the grid.”

Another top driver who once also made the leap to Ferrari is Fernando Alonso, but he is sceptical as to what impact Hamilton can have at Maranello.

“I don’t know what Hamilton will bring or add to Ferrari, it will surely be less than what a designer can bring,” the Spaniard told AS newspaper.

“Adrian Newey will always have more impact than any driver,” Alonso added.