Former Ferrari performance engineer Jock Clear has said that immediate success for Lewis Hamilton at the Scuderia would have demeaned Formula 1.
The seven-time World Champion arrived at Maranello last year to much fanfare and excitement, amid the union of statistically the sport’s greatest driver, and its oldest, most prestigious squad.
But 2025 was an unmitigated disaster, with Hamilton failing to finish on the podium, his Sprint win in China excepted.
It was not only the first time that Hamilton had failed to score a top-three finish in a season, but also just the seventh time a Ferrari driver had failed to do so.
Expectations were naturally high prior to the season kicking off, with the Scuderia having enjoyed a relatively competitive 2024, but the SF-25 proved to be an often untamable beast.
Clear, who also worked with Hamilton at Mercedes, called for calm in people’s assessments of the Brit, warning that success often comes with time taken for both parties to work well together.
“It doesn’t happen overnight and I said to a few people [in the] middle of the season, I know Lewis really had a tough time last year dealing with how difficult the challenge was,” he said.
”It’s reassuring to remind people how difficult F1 is.
“If Lewis arrived and just won an eighth championship, it sort of demeans or belittles the sport somewhat.
“You look at Carlos at Williams. After five races, people were like: ‘Oh, what’s happened? I thought he was going to blow Alex Albon away.’
“Look at him by the end of the year. It doesn’t happen overnight.
“I think part of that frustration for Lewis is probably that he knows that.
“But he just needs time.”
Lewis Hamilton will ‘do everything to see Ferrari project through’
Despite Hamilton often cutting an unhappy figure in the paddock last season, Clear insists that he knew the first season in scarlet red would be tough, and is determined to work with the team to ensure success will come.
“Lewis is not going to give up just because 2025 was tough,” he said.
“He foresaw it being very tough. Hamilton will come back stronger and harder [in 2026], work on the development and do everything he can do to see the project through.”
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