The public perception of Lewis Hamilton‘s integration at Ferrari presents a far bleaker picture than the reality inside the Scuderia’s garage, according to head of track engineering Matteo Togninalli. While acknowledging that both parties perhaps underestimated the complexities of such a significant transition, the Italian engineer insists the seven-time world champion’s working relationship with his new team remains considerably stronger than external observations suggest.
Adaptation period proves more complex than anticipated
Hamilton’s move from Mercedes to Ferrari after 12 seasons with the Silver Arrows represented one of the most seismic driver transfers in recent Formula 1 history. Togninalli candidly admitted that the adjustment phase has challenged both the British driver and the Maranello outfit, particularly given Hamilton’s decade-long tenure at his previous team where established routines and familiar faces shaped every aspect of his working method.
The engineer highlighted how a driver of Hamilton’s stature, accustomed to championship-winning machinery and specific operational procedures, faces inevitable friction when transplanted into a different environment. Ferrari’s internal processes, communication protocols, and technical approaches differ fundamentally from Mercedes’ systems, requiring significant mental recalibration from a driver who had become intimately familiar with one way of working.
Togninalli emphasised that 10 months into this partnership, the foundations have been laid more successfully than the outside world recognises. “I think what you see from outside is quite worse than what it is,” he stated. “The relationship with Lewis, what we are building with Lewis, is extremely positive. After 10 months, I think we have already a very, very strong link with him.”
Radio exchanges fuel misconceptions about team harmony
The occasionally clipped exchanges between Hamilton and race engineer Riccardo Adami have provided ammunition for speculation about disharmony within the Ferrari garage. Hamilton himself addressed these concerns earlier in the season, clarifying that no underlying problems existed between himself and Adami, and later drawing parallels with Max Verstappen‘s similarly direct communication style with Gianpiero Lambiase at Red Bull Racing.
Togninalli argued that frustration born from underperformance has distorted how these interactions are interpreted. Ferrari’s failure to mount a championship challenge in 2025, ultimately finishing fourth in the constructors’ standings some 435 points adrift of champions McLaren, created an atmosphere of disappointment that inevitably colours every public communication.
The context of Ferrari’s struggles amplifies scrutiny of Hamilton’s radio messages in ways that might not occur at a team meeting expectations. With Charles Leclerc finishing fifth and Hamilton sixth in the drivers’ championship, neither driver enjoyed the machinery to showcase their talents at the front of the field consistently. “The frustration, the results, are creating this image of ourselves and of him in Ferrari, that I believe is much, much worse than what it is in reality,” Togninalli explained.
Qualifying preparation emerges as critical weakness
Ferrari’s competitive difficulties throughout 2025 stemmed predominantly from an inability to optimise tyre preparation for qualifying, according to Togninalli’s technical assessment. While the SF-25 demonstrated respectable race pace during several grands prix, inconsistent Saturday performances repeatedly compromised Hamilton and Leclerc’s ability to fight at the sharp end.
This year’s Pirelli compounds introduced specific challenges that caught multiple teams struggling to find the optimal operating window. The more durable construction brought enhanced longevity but increased sensitivity to overheating, creating a narrow preparation window that could make or break a qualifying lap.
Togninalli quantified the impact with striking clarity: “You can move around 2-3 tenths only with the preparation of the tyres in qualifying. This is where we have been focusing.” He pointed to Verstappen’s contrasting fortunes in Brazil, where the four-time world champion secured pole for the sprint qualifying before starting 16th for the main grand prix, as evidence of how dramatically tyre preparation can swing performance.
The engineer noted that 16 of 24 races were won from pole position, underlining how qualifying success essentially predetermined race outcomes. “90% of the job this year is done in qualifying; if you start in front, you finish in front,” he stated. “If you start behind, unless you do something very different, it is extremely difficult to overtake.”
Marginal differences separate midfield contenders
The competitive compression throughout the 2025 season magnified the consequences of even minor qualifying deficits. Togninalli highlighted how Ferrari’s struggles with single-lap pace were exacerbated by a grid where ten cars could be covered by a tenth of a second in qualifying.
He cited specific examples where circumstantial factors compounded Ferrari’s inherent weaknesses. In Las Vegas, Hamilton’s encounter with a bollard compromised his qualifying preparation, while at another venue Leclerc missed his final Q3 attempt despite running third before the session’s concluding moments. These incidents, while partly situational, reflected broader vulnerabilities in Ferrari’s approach to extracting maximum single-lap performance.
The head of track engineering emphasised that variability afflicted all teams dealing with the demanding tyre characteristics, with no squad demonstrating consistent mastery across all circuit types. “If you look, there is a lot of variability. We are all within two tenths. So a small difference makes a lot of difference,” he observed.
What this means going forward
Ferrari enters the off-season confronting fundamental questions about both its technical package and the Hamilton partnership’s trajectory. Togninalli’s confidence that time will improve the relationship suggests the team views 2025 as an investment year, building foundations for stronger collaboration when more competitive machinery arrives. With major technical regulation changes approaching in 2026, Ferrari faces pressure to resolve its qualifying deficiencies while simultaneously nurturing Hamilton’s adaptation process. The acknowledgment that both parties underestimated the transition’s complexity at least demonstrates self-awareness, though tangible on-track progress remains the only metric that will ultimately silence external criticism of this high-profile union.
