As Lewis Hamilton prepares for his Ferrari debut in 2025, expectations are sky-high. But former F1 star Juan Pablo Montoya has issued a stark warning—Hamilton will struggle early on, and Charles Leclerc will have the upper hand in the opening rounds.
However, Montoya believes this power dynamic won’t last forever. If Ferrari delivers a competitive car, he predicts that within six or seven races, Hamilton will start winning everything—leaving Leclerc scrambling to keep up.
Montoya: “Hamilton Will Struggle at First—But Then He’ll Take Over”
Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari has sent shockwaves across the grid, as he leaves Mercedes after 12 seasons in search of an eighth world title. But Montoya believes that the Briton’s transition won’t be smooth, especially with Leclerc’s dominance in qualifying.
“Lewis is mature enough to appreciate that in the short term, he is going to struggle a little bit, learning the Ferrari thing,” Montoya explained.
Leclerc, who has spent his entire F1 career with Ferrari, knows the intricacies of the car, the team, and the way Maranello operates. That gives him an early advantage.
“Charles is going to feel like he’s got the upper hand,” Montoya stated.
But the tide will turn quickly.
“Give it about six or seven races, and if the car is competitive, Lewis is going to win everything.”
Leclerc vs. Hamilton: Ferrari’s Civil War?
Ferrari fans have been dreaming of a return to dominance, and Hamilton is expected to be the man to lead them there. But to truly restore the Scuderia to glory, he must first conquer his own teammate—and Leclerc won’t go down without a fight.
Leclerc has already made it clear that he won’t play second fiddle.
The Monegasque star is a proven pole-position specialist—if he can outqualify Hamilton consistently, he could force the seven-time champion to chase him on Sundays, which isn’t a position Hamilton is used to.
Ex-Haas Boss: “Hamilton Has Six Months Before the Pressure Hits”
Another voice weighing in on the Hamilton-Ferrari equation is a former Haas F1 team principal, who believes that Hamilton will enjoy a “honeymoon period”—but only for six months.
“He will have a period of time where nobody will attack him. It’s not going to be two years, it’s going to be six months. Then the pressure will start to come and the criticism.”
Once the grace period ends, every single move Hamilton makes will be scrutinized.
“Everything he does will be second-guessed and questioned. But you’ve got a period of time where you can make it work, and you just need to focus on that.”
This means Hamilton must hit the ground running—if he struggles too long, the Tifosi’s patience could wear thin.
Can Hamilton Handle the Ferrari Pressure?
Ferrari hasn’t won a drivers’ title since 2007, and Hamilton has been brought in to change that. With the team’s recent resurgence, he already looks comfortable in testing—but can he truly take down Leclerc in his own backyard?
One thing is certain—2025 will be a season of fireworks at Ferrari.
