logo
Lewis Hamilton ‘refuses' to join list of champions to fail with Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton ‘refuses' to join list of champions to fail with Ferrari

Irish Examiner3 days ago
Lewis Hamilton said he will refuse to join the list of champions who have failed to win the world title at Ferrari after claiming his new team is not firing on all cylinders.
Hamilton has not landed a podium in Ferrari colours – a streak of 12 races – the deepest into the season he has ever gone without a top-three finish.
He is sixth in the standings, 131 points off the championship pace at the midway stage of his debut Ferrari campaign.
Lewis Hamilton finished fourth at the recent British Grand Prix (Andrew Matthews/PA)
Following the British Grand Prix, Hamilton said he staged meetings with all of Ferrari's key figures – including chairman John Elkann and team principal Fred Vasseur – and submitted two documents outlining his vision as to why the Italian giants are not up to speed.
Ferrari's last world drivers' title came in 2007, with their most recent constructors' crown the following year.
Speaking ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, Hamilton, 40, said: 'I see a huge amount of potential within this team.
'But it's a huge organisation, and there are a lot of moving parts. And not all of them are firing on all the cylinders that they need to be.
'That's ultimately why the team has not had the success that I think it deserves. So, I feel that it's my job to challenge absolutely every area, to challenge everybody in the team, particularly the guys that are at the top who are making the decisions.
Rain or shine, the Tifosi are always here 🫶 pic.twitter.com/cN7ar5RAeF — Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) July 24, 2025
'If you look at the team over the last 20 years, they've had amazing drivers. Kimi (Raikkonen), Fernando (Alonso), Sebastian (Vettel) — all world champions. However, they didn't win a world championship. (Raikkonen did in 2007).
'I refuse for that to be the case with me. So, I'm going the extra mile. If you take the same path all the time, you get the same results. So I'm just challenging certain things. There's still a lot of improvements to be made, but they've been very responsive.'
Hamilton, who has a two-year deal at Ferrari with an option for a third, will hope an upgraded rear suspension for Sunday's race at Spa-Francorchamps will improve his fortunes.
He concluded: 'I'm here to win. I don't have much time but I truly believe in the potential of this team.
'I really believe they can win multiple world championships moving forward. That's my sole goal.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

‘I'm so proud to be English' – Chloe Kelly steals the show after scoring winning goal in TWO Euros finals
‘I'm so proud to be English' – Chloe Kelly steals the show after scoring winning goal in TWO Euros finals

The Irish Sun

time2 hours ago

  • The Irish Sun

‘I'm so proud to be English' – Chloe Kelly steals the show after scoring winning goal in TWO Euros finals

ENGLAND'S saviour Chloe Kelly stole the nation's hearts with her passion - and her winning penalty. The 27-year-old Euros . 4 Chloe Kelly has ice in her veins to score the crucial penalty Credit: Getty 4 Chloe Kelly celebrates after her winning spot kick Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 4 Chloe Kelly's famous celebration at Wembley after winning Euro 2022 Credit: PA And three years ago, she scored the winning goal in the final at Wembley as She famously whipped her top off and ran around the pitch at the winning moment. And once again Kelly led the celebrations in Basel . After booting in the all-important goal, Kelly grabbed a microphone from ITV to belt out Sweet Caroline with the fans. read more on the euros And then when she went in front of the cameras, she sealed her place as a national treasure with her pride at winning the Euros again. Kelly, speaking to BBC One: "I am so proud of this team. So grateful to wear this badge. So proud to be English. "I was cool, I was composed. I knew I was going to hit the back of the net. I don't miss penalties twice. "Unbelievable. All the staff behind us and Most read in Football BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS "It is going to be crazy. I hope the whole of England comes out to support us and shows their love to these girls as they deserve it." Kelly is the new favourite with bookmaker Coral to win the 2025 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award. her odds were slashed to 5-4 (from 20-1) following her winning penalty for England in the 2025 Women's Euros final. Goalkeeper England star Beth Mead forced to retake penalty that she SCORED after rule change in Euro 2025 final Fans immediately paid tribute the nation's heroine. One wrote on X: "Chloe's got that icy vibe" while another wrote: "Better pen taker than any one on the men's side." Another wrote: "Chloe Kelly showed incredible calm and confidence when it mattered most. Truly ice in her veins!" One fan predicted: "Balon Dor Chloe!" and another said: "She has been sensational." England are queens of Europe England legend Lucy Bronze reveals she played Player ratings - see how England's finest in wild celebrations on the pitch Chloe Kelly steals the show after Eagle-eyed fans stunned at where Joyous 4 Chloe Kelly and Khiara Keating celebrate on the pitch Credit: Shutterstock Editorial

Oscar Piastri eases away from Lando Norris to win rain-hit Belgian Grand Prix
Oscar Piastri eases away from Lando Norris to win rain-hit Belgian Grand Prix

Irish Times

time2 hours ago

  • Irish Times

Oscar Piastri eases away from Lando Norris to win rain-hit Belgian Grand Prix

Oscar Piastri won the Belgian Grand Prix with a dominant drive at Spa for McLaren, comfortably beating his team-mate Lando Norris into second and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc into third. Max Verstappen was fourth for Red Bull in the team's first race without their recently dismissed team principal Christin Horner, while Lewis Hamilton made the most of the changeable, wet-dry conditions to move from 18th on the grid to finish seventh. After a delayed start of almost an hour and a half due to heavy rain in the Ardennes mountains, when racing finally began in earnest Piastri pounced to take the lead from Norris with an opportunistic and decisive move into Les Combes. Having hit the front he was absolutely relentless in grinding out a victory and even a counter-tyre strategy from Norris could not bring him quite back into contention. The victory was another combative statement of intent from Piastri, demonstrating that even when he is on the back foot he retains a steely determination. He was outpaced in qualifying by Norris, but once he had retaken the lead from second on the grid he was in assured control from the front, with the same measured, calm confidence that is almost disarming as it becomes ominously clear to his rivals that the 24-year-old Australian has all the traits of a world champion in waiting. Piastri was untouchable to take his sixth win from 13 races this season. No other driver has come close to matching his consistency and a season that began in Australia with a win for Norris has since been bossed by Piastri, who has laid down another marker that it will be remarkably hard to pass him this season. He leads Norris by 16 points with 11 meetings to go in a fight increasingly looking like it will go down to the wire. READ MORE With rain having swept across the circuit on and off all day, another deluge began just before the start and the race was delayed after one formation lap because of the poor visibility caused by the spray. The cars returned to the pit lane for over an hour as the rain eased. At 4.20pm the race officially began with the field circulating behind the safety car for the opening four laps, before they were finally let off the leash in a rolling start. Norris led them away and just held his lead from Piastri but the Australian was charging, right on his tail through Eau Rouge and, enjoying a slipstream on the Kemmel straight, he took the lead into Les Combes. It was the decisive moment as Leclerc and Verstappen followed them through in third and fourth. Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari (left) battles for track position with Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls during the Belgian Grand Prix. Photograph:Hamilton, who had taken a new power unit and was thus starting from the pit lane, was able to set his car up for the wet conditions and moved swiftly up to 13th by lap 10, with a series of decisive passes, including three cars in one lap. He then took a chance on an early stop for slick tyres as the track dried on lap 12, the first driver to do so and he emerged in 17th but his instincts were spot on. Piastri duly followed him into the pits a lap later as did Verstappen and Leclerc, all for the medium rubber, while Norris had to stay out for the extra lap and he opted to take the hard tyre in an effort to make it to the end without another stop. It was the slower compound but more durable. Hamilton had made great gains with his early stop and the quick laps that immediately followed on slicks and as the stops played out he had moved up to seventh. McLaren informed Norris that Piastri too was going to try to reach the flag on the medium tyres but would have to ease his pace to do so. Piastri maintained an eight-second lead as the race settled into what was very much a procession as the laps came down, the only real jeopardy over whether the medium rubber would make the finish. Piastri duly eased his tyres on, however, and was comfortable as he approached the end. Norris did close the gap down to five seconds and he pushed hard but a couple of minor errors at La Source and Pouhon cost him and the Australian remained in control to the flag for another consummate win. George Russell was fifth for Mercedes, Alex Albon sixth for Williams, Liam Lawson eighth for Racing Bulls, Gabriel Bortoleto ninth for Sauber and Pierre Gasly 10th for Alpine. – Guardian

Oscar Piastri wins Belgian Grand Prix to extend championship lead
Oscar Piastri wins Belgian Grand Prix to extend championship lead

The 42

time4 hours ago

  • The 42

Oscar Piastri wins Belgian Grand Prix to extend championship lead

OSCAR PIASTRI HELD held off his McLaren teammate Lando Norris to win the Belgian Grand Prix today. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc came third as Piastri stretched his lead in the drivers' standings over Norris to 16 points. Advertisement Heavy rain delayed the 13th round of the season by 80 minutes, with organisers eventually allowing a rolling start after four laps behind the safety car as the sun finally appeared. Pole sitter Norris was quickly passed by Piastri as Norris complained he had a problem with his car's battery. Piastri then produced a controlled race from the front to lead home McLaren's sixth 1-2 of the season. 'I knew lap one was going to be my best chance of winning the race,' said Piastri. 'Rest of race we managed really well,' the Australian added. 'Oscar did a good job, nothing more to say,' said Norris. Max Verstappen, winner of Saturday's sprint, took fourth in Laurent Mekies' first race weekend as Red Bull team principal after the sacking of Christian Horner a fortnight ago. – © AFP 2025

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store