F1 TV pundit James Hinchcliffe expects 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lewis Hamilton to be “invigorated” when driving for Ferrari in 2025, describing criticism of the seven-time world champion as “short-s🐽ighted”.

Hamilton endured a challenging final season with Mercedes, struggling with 💦overall 𓃲performance, particularly in qualifying.

The 40-year-old managed to out-qualify 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:George Russell on only five🔯 oc🎃casions, marking just the second time in his F1 career that he lost a teammate head-to-head on a Saturday.

While Hamilton’s race performances were stronger, it was still an und🎐erwhelming season for him.

His performances have prompted figures such as Ed💃die Jordan and Flavio Briatore to question Ferrari’s decision to replace Carlos Sainz with Hamilton for the upcoming season.

Speaking on  podcast, Hinchcliffe, a former IndyCar driver, explained why the timing of Hamilton’s exit from Mercedes may have affected his on🅺-track performance.

“I think the first thing to go is the Saturday speed,” Hinchcliffe said. “I am not sure if that’s what we saw this year [in 2024]. He knew he was leaving from before we gꦅot to the first race.

“I know that he consciously showed up to th𝓰e track each weekend and did his best, but subconsciously you know that’s coming to an end. 2023, he buried George, right? He had him covered. I ෴don’t think he forgot how to drive in the course of the year.

“There was a lot going on in the ba🐭ckground this year. To say it has no effect on a driver’s performance is a bit short-sighted. He’s going to be invigorated with this new opportunity.”

“Interesting dynamic” at Ferrari in F1 2025

Hamilton faces a tough task in 2025 as he partners 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Charles Leclerc, who is widely regarded as th⛦e fastest qualifier in 𝓡F1.

Hinchcliffe believes Ham꧟ilton can take📖 confidence from the fact that Sainz was able to out-qualify Leclerc throughout the 2024 season (nine times).

“Charles is known as being a Saturday guy, as long as the ca🐈r’s good,” he added. “Even Carlos woಞuld out-qualify him regularly if the balance was a bit off.

“He needs the car in aꦐ specific window. Wh🏅en you’ve got the incumbent, which is the Ferrari boy, and you’ve got the new guy, which is the seven-time world champion coming in, it’s going to be an interesting dynamic.”

Hamilton is expected to make his unofficial Ferrari debu🦄ജt at some stage over the next month.

The British driver will drive Ferr🧜ari’s 2022 challenger as he begins the adaptation process ahead of pre-se💧ason testing at the end of February.