Why immediate glory at Ferrari was never realistic – Lewis Hamilton’s first season with Ferrari was always going to be one of the most scrutinised campaigns in the history of Formula 1. The expectations surrounding a seven-time world champion joining the sport’s most iconic team bordered on the impossible. Instead of instant success, however, 2025 delivered frustration, inconsistency, and uncomfortable questions about form, adaptability, and time.

For some observers, the verdict was harsh and swift. However, according to Hamilton’s former race engineer, Jock Clear, the reality is far more complex, and provides a valuable insight into the true difficulty of Formula 1.

 

 

A Painful First Year in Red

By almost any metric, Hamilton’s debut season with Ferrari was one of the most challenging of his career. The British driver struggled to achieve consistent performance in a car that often lacked pace, while also adapting to a new working culture after spending more than a decade at Mercedes.

Results fell short of expectations, and moments of visible frustration became a recurring theme.

This was not the seamless transition that many had imagined. Instead, Hamilton appeared to be a driver searching for confidence, balance and understanding, all while under the relentless spotlight that comes with wearing red.

 

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Jock Clear urges perspective.

Jock Clear, who worked closely with Hamilton during his time at Mercedes, has urged patience. Speaking about the situation, he reminded critics that even the greatest drivers in history needed time to succeed at Ferrari.

“When Michael arrived at Ferrari, it took the team five years to win anything,” Clear explained. “It doesn’t happen overnight.”

Clear revealed that Hamilton himself had acknowledged the scale of the challenge midway through the season, admitting how difficult the adaptation process had been. Clear believes that this struggle should not be viewed as failure, but rather as a reflection of the unforgiving complexity of Formula 1.

 

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Why instant success would have been problematic

Perhaps Clear’s most striking argument is that immediate championship success would have been damaging, not just for Ferrari, but for the sport itself. In his view, an eighth world title straight away would have undermined the credibility of Formula 1.

“If Lewis had come in and simply won an eighth championship, it would devalue or diminish the sport somewhat,” he said. “That would reassure nobody.”

The logic is simple: Formula 1 is supposed to be difficult. Cars are radically different, teams operate in unique ways, and success is built over seasons, not weeks. If one driver could instantly dominate, it would suggest that the sport lacks depth and resilience.

 

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A Defining Moment, Not a Final Verdict

While the term ‘humiliation’ may sound extreme, Clear’s point is that struggle is a necessary part of greatness, in his view he must suffer this humiliation first before any credible success can happen.

Hamilton’s 2025 season may be statistically his weakest yet, but it could also prove to be a foundational year, one that forces adaptation, learning, and long-term growth.

Ferrari has never been a short-term project, even for legends. If Hamilton is to succeed in red, history suggests that this will be achieved through persistence rather than instant redemption. In that context, the pain of 2025 may not signal decline, but rather be the price paid for attempting something truly challenging.

 

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NEXT ARTICLE – McLaren’s controversial “papaya rules” about to change after a title-winning season & growing backlash from drivers and pundits

McLaren’s divisive ‘papaya rules’ to change? – The McLaren team’s comeback has been a remarkable Formula One tale. Having ditched Ron Dennis, the legendary team owner and principal in 2017 McLaren’s fortunes have been on the rise.

Dennis was obsessed with being a works based team with an engine supplier solely dedicated to the McLaren cause. And with long term partner Mercedes deciding to adventure once again into owing a team in 2010, this left McLaren on the back foot.

To be fair to Dennis when the new V6 hybrid era began in 2014, the power unit manufacturers who owned teams were allowed preferential treatment under the FIA’s rules. This meant their team would get any PU upgrades first, with customers having to wait until the factory could build enough.

 

Papaya rules dominate 2025 headlines

All this has now changed since Mercedes’ dominant era and F1 customer teams now must be given the same specification of powertrains that the manufacturers run in their own car. But for McLaren, Dennis’ adventure with Honda was a disaster and saw the team finish a lowly 9th in the constructors’ championship in 2017.

Zak Brown was subsequently appointed CEO of McLaren Racing and their fortunes have been on the up ever since. They are the first ‘customer team’ to win the constructors’ title since Brawn GP in 2009 and for two seasons now have dominated their PU supplier Mercedes.

Yet despite their second team title and Lando Norris maiden F1 championship, McLaren are a team under scrutiny. Much of which comes from their decision to make public their rules of combat between the drivers. ‘Papaya rules’ often dominated the headlines in 2025, with Oscar Piastri finally admitting the team orders in Monza affected his mentality and ultimately his title chance.

The papaya rules are McLaren’s rule book for their drivers which state the team comes ahead of any individual glory, emphasising no contact should be made and the drivers must respect whatever…READ MORE ON THIS STORY