Arrivabene still believes in Hamilton and Leclerc despite Ferrari’s struggles
Former Ferrari boss Maurizio Arrivabene hasn’t lost faith in Lewis Hamilton or Charles Leclerc, even after a disappointing 2025 season for the Italian team.
“Lewis isn’t finished for me; he’s still competitive,” Arrivabene told Quotidiano Sportivo.
The 68-year-old Italian, who ran Ferrari before the current management, shared his thoughts on the team’s challenging year while being careful not to criticize current leadership directly.
“I always follow it with all my heart; it’s an indispensable passion. I’m disappointed like everyone else. I know how difficult it is to win in F1,” he said.
Ferrari failed to win a single race in 2025, managing only seven podiums across the entire 24-race season.
When it comes to Hamilton, Arrivabene believes the seven-time world champion still has what it takes, but needs the right car to show it.
“You only bring in someone like Hamilton if you can give him a competitive car. He needs the right equipment to perform at his best. If you don’t have that, don’t hire him.”
Arrivabene has a special connection to Leclerc, having brought him to Ferrari back in 2019.
“I launched Leclerc at Ferrari in 2019. He’s a great driver, and he always proves it.”
He made a bold prediction about the Monegasque driver’s future.
“I do not doubt that one day he’ll become world champion. I don’t know if it’ll be with Ferrari, but I hope so. He’ll definitely win the championship.”
Meanwhile, former Haas driver Romain Grosjean recently suggested Hamilton might walk away from F1 entirely after the 2026 season if he faces another difficult year like 2025.
The 39-year-old British driver has faced unprecedented challenges this season, leading some to question how much longer he’ll stay in the sport.
With the 2025 season now wrapped up, fans are already looking ahead to what changes might come for Ferrari and Hamilton in 2026. Can the Italian team bounce back and give their star drivers the competitive machinery they need?
For all the latest post-season updates and analysis, check out GPblog’s latest Paddock Update on YouTube and Spotify.
