Former Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali is confident that Lewis Hamilton will win races with the Italian team.

Despite their Melbourne misery, Jack Doohan and Liam Lawson will find comfort in the fact that though the new breed of F1 fan might be questioning their futures on social media, as far as the mainstream media is concerned all eyes are on Lewis Hamilton.

While the seven-time world champion's debut with the Maranello outfit was not what one might describe as auspicious, it hardly warranted the frenzy in the press.

Yes, he was out-qualified by his teammate, yes he did bicker with his engineer throughout Sunday's race and yes he was caught off guard first by his teammate and then Oscar Piastri - in a bold, audacious move - in the final moments.

However, it hardly warrants what we have witnessed in the last few days, where Hamilton already appears to be getting the full Sergio Perez treatment, in terms of whether he was wrong to join Ferrari, wrong to leave Mercedes, too old, lost his drive or simply no longer has it.

Indeed, you can bet your house on the fact that once the Sky F1 crew have ceased eulogising Lando Norris when coverage begins in China, they will turn their attention to Hamilton, Naomi Schiff and Karun Chandhok calling on the vast reserves of their own racing experience in order to deliver their verdicts.

Though not exactly tipping Hamilton for championship glory, former Ferrari boss, Domenicali believes the Stevenage Rocket will come good.

"For sure, for Lewis it's a new journey," he tells the sport's official website, "a new journey that will give him a lot of boost, a lot of energy.

"I think that the adjustment that he has to do, not only on the driving side with the car but also in terms of integrating himself in a different community, will be easy," he adds.

"When you have inside the right fire to make sure that this experience will be positive, you're going to dedicate yourself night and day, and that's what he's doing," insists the Italian.

"He told me that he's sleeping in Maranello, he told me he has seen what Ferrari means for the people of Italy."

Asked whether he believes Hamilton will win a race this season, the F1 CEO says: "I think so.

"I think it will be great, I have to say, with my independent cap." he adds. "I think it will be good for the team, good for Charles to keep pushing himself and it will be good for the entire field of F1 teams."

And no doubt good for the sport's already bulging coffers.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Chester, 20/03/2025 18:17

"I may have a bit of Hamilton Derangement also, but his performance last Sunday was not good."

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2. Posted by kenji, 20/03/2025 1:36

"@ED....In ref to your post I take your point. From my POV given the 'media frenzy' surrounding the new Hamilton/Ferrari arrangement I felt that it was important to call out what I saw as fair comment on the results. I also thought that the Piastri pass on Hamilton was something special considering the wet weather, the car and the fact that the driver had pulled some astonishing passes to at least get some points after the artificiality of McLaren team orders. If the roles were reversed there would've been an explosion of accolades for Hamilton. As for being infected with the dreaded HDS.[Honest Deliberation Services!] Well possibly. I don't know about that but you may well be right hahaha. In future I will attempt to restrict my comments so as not to upset my fellow posters. Hamilton may well go on to win many races, even the WDC....who knows?"

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3. Posted by Tyrbiter, 19/03/2025 19:30

"An interesting report that suggests Ferrari may have got their setup wrong for Australia, discovered skid block wear on the Friday and then raised the car to avoid that wear leading to big changes in downforce that showed up on Saturday in low qualifying performance.

Sliding skirts anyone?"

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4. Posted by KKK, 19/03/2025 17:43

"I think Hamilton will win this year, and not just once. His race craft and a will to win will do it. The car is not a bucket of shit like the no sideboard Mercedes. Ferrari is a winning car"

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5. Posted by flyinglap, 19/03/2025 16:39

"It goes without saying that Hamilton will indeed win races (and even a championship) with Ferrari, provided that the car he is given is a world championship car. Otherwise, he will become one more previous world champion unable to win another championship with Ferrari, such as Prost, Alonso, and Vettel before him. Kimi Raikkonen was the last one that succeeded. The greatest hurdle is Ferrari itself. Already the Italian specialist press are pinpointing that (1) the project of the latest Ferrari is flawed and (2) Riccardo Adami (his assigned track engineer) is unsuitable and incompatible with Hamilton, notwithstanding being an excellent engineer. Personally, I found all his radio interactions painful to hear regarding both the content and the quality, even comfortably sat on my sofa. I cannot imagine Hamilton being able to cope with that under race conditions for the entire season. I would suggest Jock Clear in his place, and the sooner the better. Additionally, Vasseur has to up his game, and start delivering a world-class leadership. The whole team needs to wake up and bring real race-craft to the game. Races are won by racers looking around them and sniffing the rain up in the air, not by nerds looking at screens and making daft suggestions to drivers such as to deploy even more power when the car already is impossible to keep on the wet tarmac as it is. Anyway, let's see what happens in China. Cheers!"

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6. Posted by Editor, 19/03/2025 13:33 (moderated by an Adminstrator, 19/03/2025 13:47)

"Oh please... give it a rest Kenji.

We know what you think, there realy is no need to keep labouring the point.

Never mind TDS, I think you have HDS, Hamilton Derangement Syndrome."

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7. Posted by kenji, 19/03/2025 13:18

"If only the rookies were granted the same absolution! What we witnessed on Sunday was the Greatest Of All Time being not what the title implies. Piastri's pass was an all time classic...for me that is. It was right up there. At the moment the 44 phenom is largely froth and bubble. I'm sure he will improve but by how much? Some polls are saying he is a WDC winner! I've seen nothing to date that would support that....."

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8. Posted by Wokingchap, 19/03/2025 12:25 (moderated by an Adminstrator, 19/03/2025 13:47)

"integrating himself in a different community, will be easy," he adds....... in normal circumstances yes, but not ferrari, they are all but normal"

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Domenicali believes Hamilton will win with Ferrari

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