MIAMI – Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has backed Lewis Hamilton to rekindle his “magic” form of old at Ferrari, saying he believes the seven-time world champion just needs time.
Hamilton has struggled for form since leaving Mercedes for Ferrari, with a run of underwhelming results in the opening five races.
The highest point of the move was sprint victory ahead in China, but his four grand prix finishes have been 10th, 7th, 5th and 7th, while teammate Charles Leclerc scored Ferrari’s first podium of 2025 last time out in Saudi Arabia.
After that race Hamilton said: “If this is how it’s going to be for the rest of the year, it’s going to be painful.”
Hamilton’s move away from Mercedes ended the most successful driver-team pairing in F1 history — six world titles and 84 race wins.
When asked if Hamilton might have lost that magic since switching to Ferrari, Wolff replied: “I think we saw that magic in the Sprint Race – was it Shanghai? He was completely dominating that race. It’s not like you have the magic in one race and then suddenly you lose the magic in the next one. I very much believe that it’s still there.
“If he aligns all his performance contributors and feels he is in the right space and the car is to his liking, he will be stellar. I have no doubt. But I’m also not surprised it has those road bumps. He was with us 12 years – the way of operating.
“He’s been put in a Ferrari, where his teammate has been a long time. And his teammate clearly is one of the very good ones. So from the outside and speaking to him, it’s a trajectory any new driver needs to go through in a top team.”
Hamilton joined Ferrari on a two-year deal this year.
The British driver said joining Ferrari marked the fulfilment of a childhood dream.
He has set his sights on what would be a record-setting eighth world title.
Hamilton currently shares a record seven titles with Ferrari legend Michael Schumacher, who won five of his championships in red.
Source: espn.com