Lewis Hamilton has conceded that he is unsure whether he can replicate Fernando Alonso and start his Ferrari career with a win on his Formula 1 debut with the team.
Hamilton’s much-anticipated opening campaign with Ferrari is edging ever closer, with pre-season testing scheduled to take place over three days next week in Bahrain.
That is where Alonso commenced his Ferrari chapter in 2010 on top, beginning a maiden campaign in red that almost concluded with a third title that has continued to evade him.
Sebastian Vettel denied the Spaniard the crown on the occasion, prompting a four-season unbeaten run that preceded his own eventual move to the Italian marque in 2015.
Even though he was victorious on his second outing with Ferrari, Vettel’s spell also saw him come up short in his desire to bring the ultimate prize back to Maranello.
But having now embarked on his own venture with F1’s most decorated team, Hamilton has acquired a newfound respect for how those before handled the transition.
Asked how long he will need to extract the maximum from Ferrari’s 2025 car Hamilton told media including Motorsport Week: “That I don’t know. Those guys did an amazing job.
“I have huge respect for those two drivers and, having joined teams before, the step it takes and the amount of work that goes on to acclimatising is extraordinary and so it makes those results that they had even more exceptional than even I had appreciated before.
“What I know is that the testing is more limited than ever before but, fortunately, I’ve had a good bit of time in the car. I am still acclimatising.
“It took me six months, I think, in Mercedes to get my first win.
“Honestly, I don’t know, but I’m doing everything I can to be ready for race one.”
Hamilton admits relationships at Ferrari will take time
Hamilton has insisted that Ferrari has the tools to win the championship, despite the team being without a single title since scooping the Constructors’ crown in 2008.
But having also not switched teams since leaving McLaren to go to Mercedes in 2013, Hamilton expects it to take a while to build up the relationships that he had elsewhere.
Questioned on the challenge he has adapting to a new environment, he added: “It’s given me even more appreciation, as I’ve mentioned, about Sebastian and Fernando joining here.
“As we’ve watched over the years, drivers moving around, some moving around a lot more than others.
“And I’ve always thought to myself, for me, I know how long it takes to build trust and grow within a team and grow with people.
“As I’ve experienced that with Mercedes, I’ve experienced that with McLaren.
“And I really cherish the longevity that I had within those places and the bonds that we created in that time. And they don’t happen overnight.”
Hamilton working harder than ever at Ferrari
Hamilton, entering his 19th season in the sport at 40, has asserted he is pushing more than ever across the board in his quest to leave no stone unturned at Ferrari.
“This step is huge. It couldn’t be any bigger,” he acknowledged. “The organisation is massive.
“The passion adds to it from the fans, from the diversity, from the people within, for that desire to want to win. And you don’t want to let people down.
“You want to be able to deliver on your word. And so I just try to… How I decided to come into this year, my resolution, my mentality, is I need to elevate in absolutely every area of my site.
“My fitness, my time management, how I engage with my engineers, how much time I spend in the factory, all these different things.
“And I’ve definitely done that and I’m doing that and I will continue to do that in this strive for perfection and to achieve the success that I’m aiming to achieve.
“But it’s a lot of work, I have to say.
“Also, all the new brands, the whole new culture, different language, all the new brands that I’m getting to work with, which is really, every day is brand, it is new.
“I’m experiencing something new, which actually is really exciting.
“And in the short space of time, it’s really not a long time. From the day you join the team to the first race, it seems like, maybe for you guys, you’ve been this drawn out, but it’s not, it’s very short and there’s no shortcuts that you can take. We’re putting the work in and we’re grafting.”
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