Sebastian Vettel tells Ferrari how they can transform Lewis Hamilton’s first season, ‘don’t write off…’

Lewis Hamilton will be targeting a first Ferrari podium at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix this weekend. Hamilton has already won a Sprint race but a top-three finish on a Sunday would outweigh that achievement.

The seven-time world champion was only 10th on his debut in Australia, then he was disqualified from the main race in Shanghai. Seventh in Japan was also a disappointment, but fifth in Bahrain represented progress.

There were good signs for Ferrari’s recent upgrade package in the 57-lap race, and teams often take multiple races to optimise developments. There’s optimism that Hamilton will enjoy a 30% performance increase in Jeddah.

The Scuderia are enduring their longest podium drought since a four-race run that started at the 2022 Miami GP. Hamilton won the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix but hasn’t qualified in the top six on three subsequent visits.

He enters the weekend seventh in the championship, the same position he finished last year at Mercedes. Ferrari are fourth in the constructors’ but could overtake the struggling Red Bull with a strong weekend.

Sebastian Vettel says upgrades could transform Lewis Hamilton’s season at Ferrari

Sebastian Vettel, one of Hamilton’s Ferrari predecessors, discussed his start at Maranello in an interview with Sky Sports Germany. He stressed how difficult it can be to adapt to a new team.

Ferrari are perhaps the most unique team on the F1 grid, but with their prestige, there comes an unparalleled pressure. Vettel has no doubt about Hamilton’s driving capabilities, even at the age of 40, but he naturally needs time.

He thinks Ferrari’s season could look ‘completely different’ once their ‘development takes the right path’. If their early upgrades backfire, though, there will be growing calls to pivot to the 2026 regulation changes.

Vettel pointed out that Fred Vasseur’s team came within 14 points of the constructors’ title last year. They shouldn’t be written off on the basis of four races.

“It’s other people, it’s a different environment, another language, a different culture,” he said. “Everyone is different. One may take longer [to adapt] than another.

“I believe that he can drive, there is no doubt about it, he can do all the things that are demanded of him. It’s also quite normal that you need a little time.

“They haven’t lost anything. When the development takes the right path, I believe Ferrari will be in a completely different position.

“They were very strong last year, just missed the constructors’ championship. Don’t write off the whole team and the two drivers either.

Ted Kravitz names the driver who should inspire Lewis Hamilton amid qualifying woes

Vettel enjoyed a strong start to his Ferrari car in the midst of Mercedes’ dominance. He won on just his second appearance for the team and scored podiums either side.

While he ranks third all-time on the team’s all-time wins list, Ferrari forced Vettel out of the team when he was outshone by 2019 arrival Charles Leclerc. He’d pushed Hamilton for the title in ’17 and ’18, but neither the team nor the driver was strong enough to break the Briton’s stranglehold.

Hamilton is experiencing the same issue as Vettel right now, with Leclerc better able to manage the car’s flaws. But he expressed confidence in Bahrain that he’s starting to understand the SF-25.

Key to any improvement will be qualifying. Ted Kravitz says Hamilton could use tips from Oscar Piastri, who looks much stronger on a Saturday this year than he did in 2024.