Lewis Hamilton said he has “no doubts” he and Ferrari will reach their goals together, admitting that ‘crisis’ stories about the team are sometimes “to be expected”, given their status in Formula 1.

Hamilton finished fifth in the Bahrain Grand Prix at the weekend, one place behind team-mate Charles Leclerc, with the Scuderia already 94 points behind Constructors’ Championship leaders McLaren after only four races.

Lewis Hamilton: ‘No doubts’ he and Ferrari will ‘get to where we plan to be’

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

While Hamilton made the move from Mercedes with a view to challenging for an eighth World Championship, he has spoken on multiple occasions about being under no illusions about the adjustment period he would need after a 12-season stint at his previous team.

With Ferrari having been the sport’s longest-serving and most successful constructor, with the de facto moniker of being the Italian ‘national team’ in Formula 1, they are scrutinised more than any other team on the grid, particularly in Italy itself.

Having now experienced that up close, the seven-time World Champion acknowledged that likely comes with being part of the “special” organisation it is, and he added he has “no doubts” about the team’s future potential.

Speaking to media including PlanetF1.com in Saudi Arabia, Hamilton was asked if there is truth to the belief that people look to ‘make a crisis out of everything’ while looking in from the outside of Ferrari.

“Yes,” he replied.

“I mean, on one side it’s to be expected, it’s the greatest team in Formula 1 history. It’s that special.

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“Of course, there’s more clips, there’s more stories that are written about it, and people have opinions, and it’s not always been smooth sailing.

“So I think from just from my perspective, you can’t work with a team and change things overnight – and we’ve spent this time really getting to know each other.

“There are changes that are short term, that we will do together, keep all the greatness, and keep building the areas that we could be stronger in – and some of those take it could be short term, and some of them are longer term.

“There’s so many great things within this team, and so we want to harness the energy and the passion that’s within the team, and we also have to, like, protect the team as well, because the spotlight’s more on this team than any other team.

“Everyone in this team, really, their heart is so in it. Like, we’re riding the rollercoaster ride up and down together.

“I have no doubts that we will get to where we plan to be. It’s just going to take time.”

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