19/03/2025
NEWS STORY
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.