Lewis Hamilton has been putting in extensive effort to adapt to Ferrari's 2025 car in recent days, according to Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport, as he seeks to overcome his alarmingly lacklustre start with the Maranello team.
The seven-time world champion, who spent his entire career racing Mercedes-powered McLaren and Mercedes cars, has struggled to acclimatise to Ferrari's machinery.
The performance gap to teammate Charles Leclerc has been so stark that some speculate the 40-year-old could retire early.
Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher, speaking to Sky Deutschland, expressed scepticism about such an outcome. "If he really decides to give up now, it will be very early," he said. "I almost can't believe it.
"The expectations are high now. Lewis needs to try, and he will probably get there. He must not give up."
Despite appearing despondent and confused after and amid the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend, Hamilton has dedicated extra time to Ferrari's driver simulator in preparation for the Miami Grand Prix.
Technical journalist Paolo Filisetti reported in La Gazzetta dello Sport that Hamilton "did not limit himself to the usual pre-grand prix simulations." Filisetti noted that, post-Jeddah, Hamilton "declared with the utmost honesty that he had no specific complaints about the car, but only about himself, having not yet managed to forget the automatisms that 12 years of Mercedes have rooted in his mind."
Hamilton's simulator programme after Saudi Arabia was described as "intense," involving "meetings with engineers to thoroughly analyse the problems encountered in the last races and try to find solutions as quickly as possible."
Unlike typical pre-race simulator sessions for a sprint weekend like Miami, which focus primarily on setup due to limited practice time, Hamilton's work "went well beyond the usual," Filisetti wrote.
This included "comparative tests with specific emphasis on the way the power unit" operates, particularly under braking.
"It is therefore fair to underline how Hamilton's reaction to the current difficult situation is to work hard," Filisetti added.
He acknowledged Hamilton's broader recent challenges, noting, "Also true, and Lewis has repeated it several times, that since the debut of the current ground effect cars he has found a less constant and solid feeling with the cars."
However, Filisetti concluded, "It is equally true that never, until now, has the performance gap with his teammate been so evident."
