Former F1 strategist Bernie Collins weighs in on Lewis Hamilton’s current Ferrari situation after the Chinese Grand Prix setback.
According to The Mirror, Aston Martin's former head of race strategy believes that Hamilton’s situation with Ferrari is similar to what Sebastian Vettel faced when he joined British luxury sports car manufacturers.
Related: Lewis Hamilton secures first victory with Ferrari in Chinese GP sprint
She thinks that the seven-time Formula One World Drivers' Championship title winner still needs some time to build trust and become comfortable with his new team.
Collins recalled the pressure to earn Vettel's trust when he came on board, saying, “When Sebastian Vettel came to us at Aston Martin, I really wanted him to think we were good at our jobs. I really wanted him to go, ‘If she calls me to pit, I’m going to do it,’ because I trust the team.”
She noted that the strategy thing, a radio thing and now disqualification made the drivers unsure.
The sports analyst added that the 40-year-old was really struggling in the car during the prix, and the changes in set-up didn’t react in the way he wanted to, or he wouldn’t have been so slow in the race, and they’ve been illegal.
“So it is a bump. If they go through it and they find whatever’s wrong, then Lewis can get over that pretty quickly. But it’s one of these little things that adds to the lack of trust,” Collins told Sky News.
For the unversed, after a decent start to the 2025 season in Australia, where he finished 10th and earned his first points driving for Ferrari, he was disqualified from the Chinese Grand Prix after his car failed in post-race technical checks.
Related: Lewis Hamilton breaks silence on Ferrari debut at Australian GP
