Former Ferrari driver Rene Arnoux believes Lewis Hamilton and the Maranello outfit can rebound from their lacklustre 2025 debut in Australia.
Despite the pre-season fanfare, seven-time world champion Hamilton lagged behind Charles Leclerc all weekend—yet both drivers battled just to scrape into the minor points.
Bild newspaper branded it a "disastrous debut" in red for the renowned Briton, while Der Spiegel noted: "A teenager who replaced him (Kimi Antonelli) stole the show from Hamilton."
Arnoux, 76, speaking to Italian radio Rai 1, picked up on the radio friction between Hamilton and his new race engineer, Riccardo Adami. "He (Hamilton) lost a bit of enthusiasm but I understand that," the Frenchman said.
"Of course he cannot be satisfied after this first race, which is where you understand the level you are at. And the two McLarens shot away like lightning."
Ferrari stood out among top teams with the boldest design shift from 2024 to 2025. "They made a new suspension, but were unable to find the right setup for that type of track," Arnoux explained.
"Both Hamilton and Leclerc found themselves with a car that was very difficult to drive. It seemed to me that there was more water for the two Ferrari drivers than for all the others. Every time they touched the throttle, they were sideways.
"The great thing," Arnoux added, "is that we see three or four competitive teams at the start of this season. Ferrari cannot stay at this level and sooner or later they will catch up with the others, but I don't know when."
For 40-year-old Hamilton, Arnoux joins those cautioning against dismissing the record holder of 105 grand prix wins.
"I understand he is disappointed, but it's always difficult to change teams," he said. "Because there is no longer the possibility of doing private tests, apart from the two-three days each year.
"It means that Hamilton arrived in Melbourne without really knowing the car, plus he discovered it in very delicate conditions. We need to wait 4 or 5 races to see if the car is truly competitive. But I certainly saw a very fast McLaren." body check tags ::
