Lewis Hamilton ‘putting his foot down’ at Ferrari in push to transform F1 team

1997 F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve believes Lewis Hamilton is “putting his foot down” as he attempts to transform Ferrari into a title-challenging team again.

Ferrari have endured a disappointing first half of the 2025 F1 season.

Ferrari are the only team inside the top four of the constructors’ standings without a race victory this season.

The Scuderia went into the new campaign with great hopes, particularly after finishing just 14 points behind McLaren in the constructors’ championship last year.

A radically different SF-25 hasn’t lived up to expectations.

Like its predecessor, the car is weak over one lap, while Ferrari have struggled to extract its full performance potential due to various issues.

This weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix is crucial for the team, as they are introducing a new suspension upgrade.

The change at the rear of the car could transform their season as it will allow Ferrari to run their car more optimally.

Speaking to F1’s official website, Villeneuve noted how Hamilton is making Ferrari “his team” and that he’s starting to become more comfortable.

“Lewis is slowly but surely putting his foot down, making this his team,” Villeneuve said.

“That is very important for what’s coming next. He’s getting in a more comfortable place for himself. He has a lot of experience, he knows what it takes, and he’s biding his time.

“It was tough and he hasn’t collapsed, so that’s good. He’s always been a very emotional driver, but it seems that he’s passed the deep wave, so he might be on the up wave right now.”

Hamilton improvement noted

After a tough start, Lewis Hamilton has out-qualified Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc in three of the last four races.

Ex-F1 driver Stefan Johansson feels that the seven-time world champion needs to be more comfortable behind the wheel of the Ferrari to get the best from him.

“I think Lewis is getting closer, at least in the last couple of races,” Johansson added. “The drivers are always looking for comfort, comfort meaning you can trust the car when you commit to the corner.

“I think what Lewis has been struggling with is that he’s not really comfortable with the turn-in of the car. So, you try a bit harder and you go over the limit, and then you lose even more time, or you’re hovering around the two- to three-tenths below the limit over a whole lap.

“When you have that level of comfort you just put the car exactly where you want it to be. That’s the hard part. When you’re at one with the car, it’s just an extension of your body, really – it’s the place you want to be. I think Lewis is still one of the, if not the best driver on the grid.”