Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari came with enormous expectations, but his first season fell well short of what fans had hoped for, while Carlos Sainz is thriving. Marc Gene believes the Brit’s ability to adapt was overestimated.
Lewis Hamilton’s switch from Mercedes to Ferrari was one of the most anticipated moves in recent F1 history. But it ended up being one of his worst seasons on record, with no podiums and a growing list of questions about whether he could bounce back.
On the other hand, Carlos Sainz made an immediate impact when he joined Ferrari in 2021. He picked up four podiums and remains the only teammate to finish ahead of Charles Leclerc over a full season.
Speaking on Albert Fabrega’s FABRECAST, former driver and now Ferrari ambassador Marc Gene shared his thoughts on Hamilton’s move from Brackley to Maranello.
He pointed out that the seven-time world champion has become more settled in Italy over time, while also acknowledging that Ferrari may not have fully appreciated the challenges he’d face in adjusting to a new environment.
Gene explained: “There’s an adjustment period that we perhaps underestimated a bit. It’s not easy. And the changes for Sainz were a bit easier because he’s also been with many teams.”
Sainz brought plenty of experience with him before joining Ferrari, having previously raced for Toro Rosso, Renault and McLaren. The Spaniard has since joined Williams, making them his fifth team. In contrast, Ferrari is just Hamilton’s third F1 team.
“But when you’ve been with a team for so many years,” Gene continued, “getting the best out of another team when you’re so used to a certain way of working isn’t easy.”
The 50-year-old also pointed out how improvements at Ferrari have played a role in Hamilton finding his footing this season.
Sainz’s adaptability has long been seen as one of his standout qualities. Charles Leclerc once spoke about how much he admired this trait, and it was evident again during Sainz’s podium finishes with Williams last season.
During that same interview, Gene also shared a conversation he had with Hamilton, where the seven-time champion opened up about just how challenging last season had been for him.
“Last year was really tough for all of Hamilton’s fans, myself included, but above all, for him,” Gene said. “I spoke to him on a few occasions. He told me he’d never had such a hard time in his sporting career. And now he’s happy.”
“I think he’s absolutely relieved, as well as seeing that he still has the pace and can fight for podiums and race wins – and he’s going to do just that – and who knows, maybe even fight for the world title.”
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