Lewis Hamilton is leaving Mercedes at the end of this season to join Ferrari after an incredibly succesful stint with the German team.
The British driver joined the team in 2013 and scored six world championships with Mercedes in an incredible run of success over his career.
Hamilton agonisingly missed out on a record-breaking eighth world championship in 2021 in a controversial title decider.
He hasn’t had a car capable of consistently challenging for race wins since 2022 when Formula 1 introduced the ground effect regulations which threw up unique problems such as porpoising.
Hamilton has been consistently outperformed by his teammate George Russell this season who is in front in the world championship by nine points.
Former Formula 1 Juan Pablo Montoya explained that followers of the sport need to keep one thing in mind that has contributed to Hamilton’s problems.
Juan Pablo Montoya urged people to remember that little setup changes can be made after qualifying
Qualifying is critically important in modern Formula 1 as it is very difficult to pass on most tracks, even with the DRS helping to aid overtaking on the straights.
Preparing the car and tyres, in particular, is a balancing act as the Pirelli rubber is fragile and can overheat even before the end of one flying lap on the limit.
Hamilton has struggled in qualifying this year. He is without a pole position for Mercedes and has only made the front row once at the British Grand Prix.
READ MORE: Anthony Davidson ‘hopes’ Lewis Hamilton does rare Mercedes feat at Ferrari in 2025
The seven-time world champion was very quick in Las Vegas but cost himself a race victory as he made an error in Q3 before starting in 10th place.
Montoya explained that Hamilton may have a lack of trust in the car in qualifying and the requirements are very different over a race distance.
He told AS Colombia: “I think one thing people have to remember is that they have to run the setup they use in qualifying.
“And what I think Lewis wants to do, I think the race is not also adapting to qualifying, and that may be part of the problem that the commitment you have to have in the car to go fast in the races is a commitment that takes away much speed in qualifying. You don’t trust the car in qualifying.”
Lewis Hamilton needs to hit the ground running at Ferrari
Hamilton is moving to Ferrari for next season to partner Charles Leclerc at the Italian team as he searches for another world title.
The British driver will have a new challenge, and Hamilton may struggle to beat Leclerc over a single lap as he is adept when pushing up to the limit.
Leclerc may be nervous about partnering Hamilton at Ferrari but the pair of drivers should be formidable at the front of the field.
Hamilton will need to avoid any errors early in the season to get the team on his side. He is stepping into an outfit that Leclerc has built around him since 2019.
