Patrese: Even in a winning car Hamilton must solve Leclerc problem

Ferrari entered the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort seeking to reset after a turbulent first half of the season. Hamilton, frustrated after Hungary, where he called his qualifying performance “absolutely useless,” has struggled to adapt to Maranello life. Meanwhile, Leclerc has kept Ferrari in the spotlight with pole positions, leaving Hamilton without a grand prix podium after 14 rounds.

Ferrari dropped Carlos Sainz to sign Hamilton, a move that at the time was hailed as both commercially shrewd and performance-driven. Sainz remains the last Ferrari driver to win a grand prix, in Mexico 2024, while Hamilton’s only highlight in red so far is a Sprint victory in China.

Speaking to the RacingTipster media team, Patrese reflected: “As an Italian, I didn’t feel there was this opposition for Lewis Hamilton coming in. I think the fans like Lewis, first of all. Then, inside the team, Carlos Sainz was not a bad driver. I think he was okay. But when you talk about Sainz against Lewis Hamilton, there is no competition.

"To get Hamilton in the team is good commercially, for sure. But I think it's good also for experience and for improving the situation. When Lewis came to Ferrari, I was happy. I thought that for Ferrari it was a good move," insisted 71-year-old Patrese, a six-time Grand Prix winner.

Ferrari’s season has been unsettled by delays in extending Fred Vasseur's contract at Maranello, uneven form on track, and wider uncertainties over Formula 1’s incoming 2026 regulations. Exacerbated by Hamilton's headline-grabbing crisis of form.

Patrese noted: “Ferrari should stay calm. Lewis should work with the team to improve the car and try to make a winning car for next year. But it is not easy. From what I understand, Ferrari doesn't really like the new rules much. They would like to go to the 10 cylinder. So, it's a big mess still for what's going on for next year.”

After his downbeat "absolutely useless" comments in Hungary, Hamilton’s desire was inevitably questioned. Patrese is convinced the drive remains, but the transition has tested him: “For Lewis Hamilton to have gone to Ferrari he must still have the desire.

"If it was me, if I got this challenge, I would keep fighting. I think Lewis should do the same. If he's tired and fed up with the situation, maybe he can also decide to stop. I think it's not a big drama. He already has titles in his pocket and wins in his pocket so that he can retire when he wants.”

Patrese added: “When you are a fighter, as he has proved in the past, I think it will go on. And of course, he’s only just arrived in Ferrari. So, I repeat that the atmosphere can be a little bit different in Ferrari from the atmosphere he found for all his life.

"He can find that he doesn’t have the same input that he used to have during his career. I believe that he has a lot of fans. He has to work also for the love of the fans.”

Beyond the car, Patrese believes Hamilton’s biggest challenge lies across the garage. “We talk about the winning car, but then he also must solve the Leclerc problem. Charles is a top driver, and one of those who can be world champion with the right car.”

That, Patrese argues, is the reality Hamilton must face: even if Ferrari build him a winning machine, he still has to beat Leclerc first. As it stands, F1 stats show that Charles is leading Lewis 10 to 4 in Qualifying, and beating the seven-time F1 World Champion 11 to 2 in GPs.