Lewis Hamilton has called suggestions that he might be losing trust in Ferrari after the team`s double disqualification in China as `complete rubbish`.
Following his high-profile move from Mercedes to Ferrari, Hamilton finished 10th in his first race in Australia. He then achieved a victory in the Chinese Grand Prix Sprint race. However, he was later disqualified from the main race the following day, despite initially finishing sixth.
The seven-time world champion`s result in Australia could have been better, but a risky strategy to stay on dry tires in wet conditions affected his race. His disqualification in China was due to excessive wear on the plank of his SF-25 car.
Speaking to the media, Hamilton clarified his feelings after the disqualification, stating, `I don`t really feel any frustration afterwards. It is what it is. Of course, we`ve gone through everything.`
`I visited the factory on Wednesday, and there were many lessons learned. We face the ups and downs together as a team.`
`It`s obviously not the outcome anyone in the team works hard for on a race weekend. No team member puts in so much effort to have something like that happen.`
`I believe the most impressive aspect is how the team has reacted, how they have analyzed the data, and how we move forward from this point is crucial.`
`I saw someone mention if I`m losing faith in the team, which is totally untrue. I have absolute 100 percent faith in this team.`
`I never expected to win from the first race`
The combination of a famous driver and team created significant excitement before the 2025 season. However, Hamilton emphasized that he never anticipated immediate success.
He explained, `There was a lot of hype at the start of the year, and I`m not sure if everyone expected us to win from the first race and secure a championship in our first year, but that wasn`t my expectation.`
`I understand that I`m joining a new environment, a new team, and it will require time.`
Hamilton also spoke about his confidence in Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur.
`I`ve spent the last few months observing how this team operates – it`s different from my past experiences,` he noted.
`Every team has its unique approach. McLaren was different, Mercedes was again different from McLaren, and Ferrari is different once more.`
`So, I`m observing and finding where I can contribute and add value. There are areas for improvement, certainly, but I think Fred has a great approach.`
Hamilton mentioned that his departure terms from Mercedes prevented him from participating in the post-season test in Abu Dhabi in December, where drivers could test the 2025 tires for the first time.
This, along with an issue during the final day of pre-season testing in Bahrain, limited his experience with the new tire compounds over long runs.
He added, `And again, I didn`t expect to start the season and win immediately – even the Sprint race win was a bonus, to be honest.`
`It was actually the first time I had done a long run on any of the tires, and in the race, it was the first time I had driven on the C2 tire.`
