Hamilton gets backing of F1 icon after challenging Ferrari season

The Italian former F1 team owner stressed that the seven-time world champion is far from finished despite an underwhelming debut campaign with the Maranello outfit.

"I'll answer right away without even waiting for the question: no, Lewis is not finished,” Minardi said to Quotidiano Sportivo.

The 78-year-old further drew a comparison to Fernando Alonso, highlighting the fact that a driver’s performance is closely linked to the machinery at their disposal.

"Look, everyone gets older, but a driver never loses his talent. Take [Fernando] Alonso – he's older than Lewis, but on the track, if the car supports him, he's still incredibly strong,” he added.

Minardi concluded by highlighting that Hamilton may also have underestimated the challenge of leaving the Mercedes team, noting that the limitations of the SF25 car made the situation even more difficult for the Brit.

"So I suppose it was underestimated that by leaving Mercedes after so many years, Hamilton found himself in a new, unfamiliar world. It wasn't easy, and the limitations of the SF25 made the situation worse,” he concluded.

Hamilton’s 2025 season unfolded far below expectations following his seismic switch from Mercedes. The 40-year-old failed to record a single top-three finish across the 24 races of the campaign.

Earlier, 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve dissected Hamilton’s struggles at Ferrari.

The Canadian highlighted the comfort and dominance Hamilton enjoyed during his years at Mercedes as a key factor behind the difficulties he experienced at Ferrari.

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