P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Valtteri Bottas has admitted that Lewis Hamilton’s adjustment period at Ferrari in F1 has taken longer than expected for a driver of his calibre.
Valtteri Bottas has acknowledged that Lewis Hamilton’s transition at Ferrari in Formula 1 has taken longer than anticipated given his skills. Despite entering the final three rounds of the 2025 season, Hamilton is yet to secure a podium finish with Ferrari, while his teammate Charles Leclerc has achieved seven podiums and outscored the seven-time champion by 66 points. Bottas, who raced alongside Hamilton at Mercedes for over 100 races from 2017 to 2021, remains confident in Hamilton’s ability to bounce back in 2026. Hamilton himself has described his debut season with Ferrari as a ‘nightmare’, adjusting to a new team, language, and culture. Bottas believes that although Hamilton’s adaptation is proving challenging, his speed has occasionally shone through, expressing optimism for Hamilton’s performance in the upcoming season. Furthermore, he highlighted that Hamilton, with his past achievements in F1, has nothing left to prove and has the potential to excel in the future, despite criticisms from some about underestimating Leclerc’s talent.
