Lewis Hamilton responds to outside criticism of debut Ferrari season

Lewis Hamilton says those criticising his struggles with Ferrari from the outside do not understand the situation.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton has endured a hugely challenging debut season with Ferrari since completing a blockbuster switch from Mercedes.

Despite claiming a sprint pole position and victory in China, Hamilton has not yet finished on the podium in a grand prix for Ferrari, setting an unwanted record in the process.

Hamilton has also been outclassed by teammate Charles Leclerc, who in contrast has recorded seven top-three finishes this season.

The 40-year-old Briton has faced criticism amid his struggles during an underwhelming first campaign with Ferrari.

“I knew that aligning our brands would be big. But it still hits you and you’re like, “This is even more powerful than I imagined,” Hamilton told Ferrari Magazine.

“It’s beautiful and there have been plenty of positives, although a lot of responsibility and weight comes with it. Everyone expects to win straight away but ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day.’”

When put to him that “surely anyone who knows anything about how F1 works knows that it takes time”, Hamilton replied: “That’s not many people.”

“Only when you’re inside a team can you really, truly understand how it works and how F1 works. You can’t imagine how the machine really operates otherwise.

“I’ve been in F1 for so long, but when I came to this team it really was different again. So I don’t blame people for not knowing.

"All I can do is continue to focus on the things that I can control. How I prepare, and work with the team. How I show up each day and stay positive.”

Hamilton refutes distraction claims

Hamilton has regularly faced criticism from those who claim his activities away from the track, such as his business ventures, or interests in fashion and music, have distracted him.

Recently, Hamilton was involved with the F1 Movie starring Brad Pitt, working as an executive producer.

Hamilton insists such ventures give him a balance that ultimately helps him perform on track.

“It’s not a question of distraction. Everyone can get distracted, one way or another,” he said.

”It’s about how you decide to deploy your energy and create a sense of balance. You’ve got to have a creative balance, you can’t just work every hour of your life because you’ll be miserable.

“How do you find things that inspire you and keep you uplifted? Tapping into your creativity is one way.”