Close friend to Lewis Hamilton, Usain Bolt reveals an important secret about the Ferrari driver: “I know that…” – When Lewis Hamilton announced his sensational move to Ferrari, it was hailed as a dream pairing between Formula 1’s most successful driver and its most iconic team. The seven-time world champion was expected to add another glorious chapter to his legacy in red.
However, Hamilton’s first season with the Scuderia proved to be far more challenging than anticipated. For the first time in his career, the Briton finished a season without stepping onto the podium, a statistic that underscored just how difficult the transition had been.
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A dream move that didn’t deliver instantly
At 41 years old, questions about Hamilton’s future intensified. Was Ferrari a final romantic gamble, or could it still lead to success?
As the paddock debates his prospects, one of Hamilton’s closest friends, sprint legend Usain Bolt, has offered rare insight into the mindset of the Ferrari driver and what lies ahead.
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Hamilton has struggled to adapt to life at Ferrari
Ferrari is known for its unique environment in Formula 1, with its own culture, pressure, and expectations. For Hamilton, adapting to a new team after spending more than a decade at Mercedes was bound to be a significant challenge. The SF-25 proved inconsistent; while Hamilton showed flashes of speed, they were never enough to consistently contend for podiums.
Despite the disappointing results, Hamilton remained calm and collected throughout the season. Within the team, there was a strong sense that his first year was about learning and understanding Ferrari’s methods and laying the groundwork for future success rather than achieving immediate results. Usain Bolt shares this view, believing that patience is key.
Usain Bolt’s message of confidence
In an interview with RacingNews365, the world’s fastest man explained why he is convinced that Hamilton will return to the top. Bolt dominated sprinting for more than a decade and knows firsthand how difficult it is to stay at the top and how important experience is for a comeback.
“For me, it will always be difficult,” Bolt said. “But as someone who knows what it takes to get to the top, I know it will never be perfect. It is much easier to get back to the top because you know the work and you know what it takes to get there again.”
Bolt’s words reflect a deep understanding of elite sports. According to him, Hamilton’s struggles do not signal a decline but rather a natural phase of rebuilding in an unfamiliar environment.
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“He’s really going to make his big comeback.”
Bolt went further, predicting that Hamilton’s Ferrari journey will require time, not miracles.
“So I know it’s going to be difficult for Lewis. It will take him at least two years to feel comfortable and get used to Ferrari,” he explained. “I’m really looking forward to the coming years. He’s really going to make his big comeback.”
These comments align closely with Ferrari’s long-term vision. Hamilton’s second season with the Scuderia, alongside the unveiling of the new Ferrari SF-26, has already generated renewed optimism. Early impressions suggest a car more suited to his driving style, and Hamilton himself appeared energized and confident when first running the new machine.
Is he the greatest of all time?
Beyond predictions of a comeback, Bolt made it clear how he views Hamilton’s place in history. Asked whether the Briton is the greatest Formula 1 driver of all time, the Jamaican icon was unequivocal.
“Yes, absolutely, without a doubt,” Bolt stated. “I’m looking forward to the moment when he gets back to the top because, as I said, he knows what it takes to get there and stay there.”
As Hamilton enters the next phase of his Ferrari career, expectations remain high, as does the belief of those who know him best. If Bolt’s confidence proves justified, the story of Lewis Hamilton in red may still have its most memorable chapters ahead.
NEXT ARTICLE – FIA call last minute powertrain crunch meeting in Bahrain
Just over twelve months ago, the FIA called a meeting of the powertrain manufacturers to discuss concerns that the all new 2026 F1 cars would run out of electrical charge along the straights. The proposal was to reduce the amount of electrical energy from its current 50/50 power split with the internal combustion engine.
To enforce any changes, there needed to be a super majority agreement, meaning four of the five manufacturers were required to vote in agreement. Audi and Honda in particular were not in favour of a tweak in the regulations and so the matter was swept under the carpet.
Now the fears of many have come to pass as in the Barcelona shakedown a number of drivers reported a loss of electrical power along the front straight and that they were forced to lift and coast into corners to conserve electrical energy. The FIA has now slated a pow wow with the manufacturers during the upcoming Bahrain pre-season test where the matter may well be revisited, although the primary purpose for the meeting is another topic entirely.
Mercedes new powertrain questioned for legality
Ferrari, Audi and Honda have been corresponding with the FIA in recent weeks since it came to light that Mercedes are using a metallurgical trick to defeat F1 governing body’s test for compression ratio’s in the internal combustion engine.
Engineers having left Mercedes High Performance Powertrains in Brixworth have allegedly spilled the beans on their former employer. The FIA test is conducted at ambient temperature when the power unit is ‘cold.’ However, once up to operating temperature, expansion in the specially selected metallic compound closes off a pocket in the cylinder, in effect reducing the cubic capacity and upping the compression ratio estimated at 18.1.
Initially it was believed that Red Bull too were exploiting a similar technology in their powertrain, although this now appears not to be the case. Red Bull have joined the other three manufacturers and are ready to protest the Mercedes power unit in an effort to have it declared illegal.
At the Barcelona shakedown, as happens each preseason, the teams had their espionage divisions in full action. Readings are taken by engineers of their rival’s engine notes at certain points around the circuit which are then analysed and reveal a whole host of information…CONTINUE READING THIS ARTICLE
Thiago Treze is a Brazilian motorsport writer at TJ13 with a background in sports journalism and broadcast media, alongside an academic foundation in engineering with a focus on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). This combination of technical knowledge and editorial experience allows Thiago to approach Formula 1 from both a performance and narrative perspective.
At TJ13, Treze covers driver performance, career developments, and key storylines across the Formula 1 grid, while also analysing the technical factors that influence competitiveness. This includes aerodynamic development trends, simulation-driven design approaches, and the engineering decisions that shape race weekend outcomes.
His reporting bridges the gap between human performance and machine development, helping readers understand how driver execution and technical innovation interact in modern Formula 1. Coverage often connects on-track events with the underlying engineering philosophies that define each team’s approach.
With a global perspective shaped by both journalism and technical study, Thiago also focuses on Formula 1’s international reach and the different ways the sport is experienced across regions.
Treze has a particular interest in how Computational Fluid Dynamics and aerodynamic modelling contribute to car performance, offering accessible explanations of complex technical concepts within Formula 1.
Lewis Hamilton NEVER wins another F1 Title! Lewis NOT the GOAT. First off you’d need to be able to beat your teammates. Who remembers that Button bloke or that Russell guy? Why I have it on good authority Ferrari has even hired a guy named Leclerc who’s not too slow either. Next, no one – NO ONE – in the modern era has Senna’s start the pole ratio. Lewis just isn’t the GOAT and at his pay rate Ferrari just isn’t going to wait for him to learn to drive their car beyond this season. If you’re the GOAT you should be fast in any car on the grid! Look at the rate at which Sainz adapted to the McLaren then the Ferrari, then the Williams. The GOAT should be waaaaay better than that, right?! I don’t blame Lewis for emptying Ferrari’s bank accounts since they were gullable enough to believe he’d bring them championships. Similarly I don’t blame Ferrari for wanting rapid return on their investment and cutting Lewis loose for lack of pace later this season. At a fraction of the pay, Bearman is only getting quicker and a very distracted, over-priced Lewis is only getting slower. You read it here first!