Valtteri Bottas believes Lewis Hamilton’s adaptation to Ferrari in the 2025 Formula 1 season has taken “longer than expected” for a driver of his stature.
With only three races remaining, the seven-time champion has yet to score a podium, trailing teammate Charles Leclerc, who has secured seven rostrum finishes and 66 more points.
Hamilton himself has dubbed his debut season a “nightmare.”
Bottas, who was Hamilton’s teammate at Mercedes for five years, attributed the slow start to the massive overhaul required: cultural shifts, new equipment, and language barriers after a long tenure at the German team.
However, the former Mercedes driver backed Hamilton to recover, predicting a strong showing in 2026. He also noted that critics had “underestimated Charles [Leclerc], how good he is.”
Hamilton currently sits P6 in the Drivers’ Standings (121 points), behind Leclerc in P5 (165 points).
