HILARIOUS: From Humiliation to Heroics: How Lewis Hamilton Tamed Ferrari’s “Uncontrollable Beast” in 24 Hours… Read more
From Humiliation to Heroics: How Lewis Hamilton Tamed Ferrari’s “Uncontrollable Beast” in 24 Hours
By Hugo Harvey | October 23, 2025
When the dust settled at the Mexican Grand Prix weekend, one storyline dominated every headline and every conversation in the Formula 1 paddock: Lewis Hamilton’s stunning transformation behind the wheel of Ferrari’s SF-25.
Just 24 hours separated humiliation from heroics. On Friday, Hamilton looked completely at odds with his Ferrari. The seven-time world champion was seen wrestling the car through every corner, fighting understeer on entry and brutal oversteer on exit. His radio messages told a story of frustration: “This thing is undriveable,” he said, his tone laced with disbelief. Yet, by Saturday afternoon, the same car — and the same driver — had come alive.
Hamilton not only topped the timesheets in final practice but then delivered a qualifying lap so sensational that even his race engineer, Riccardo Adami, could hardly believe what he’d seen. From nowhere, Ferrari had gone from struggling for grip to locking out the front row. And leading the charge? Lewis Hamilton — calm, confident, and commanding.
So, what exactly happened? How did a car dubbed the “uncontrollable beast” on Friday turn into a race-winning machine by Saturday?
The Turning Point: Setup Masterclass
Ferrari insiders revealed that Hamilton and the engineering team spent nearly the entire night reviewing telemetry, corner-speed data, and tyre degradation patterns. According to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, Hamilton was “relentlessly precise” in his debrief, pinpointing specific areas where the SF-25’s mechanical grip could be recovered.
“The car wasn’t bad — it was misunderstood,” Hamilton explained post-qualifying. “We were just chasing balance in the wrong direction. Once we figured out how the rear end wanted to behave, it all made sense.”
That “wrong direction” turned out to be a combination of suspension stiffness and front-wing load distribution. Ferrari’s engineers made subtle but crucial changes to the ride height and damping setup, particularly to improve the SF-25’s traction out of the slow corners.
Mental Resilience and Experience
It’s one thing to fix a car. It’s another to fix the confidence of a driver. Hamilton, however, has made a career out of bouncing back from adversity. Whether it’s recovering from setbacks at Mercedes or managing pressure at Ferrari, his ability to reset mentally remains unmatched.
“He has this incredible capacity to compartmentalise failure,” one Ferrari engineer told Sky Italia. “He doesn’t panic. He analyses. He rebuilds. And when he comes back, it’s always with a vengeance.”
That mental strength was on full display in Mexico. After Friday’s nightmare, many expected Hamilton to play a supporting role to teammate Charles Leclerc, who had been more consistent throughout the weekend. Instead, Hamilton used the chaos of a low-grip track to his advantage — reading the evolving conditions and extracting every ounce of performance when it mattered most.
Ferrari’s Leap of Faith Pays Off
Team principal Frédéric Vasseur described the turnaround as “the result of mutual trust.”
“We had a driver with an incredible sense of feel and a team willing to take bold steps overnight,” Vasseur said. “Lewis asked us to make some radical changes — things that, under normal circumstances, would have made the car worse. But he was right. It transformed the car.”
The leap of faith paid off spectacularly. By Sunday’s main race, Hamilton executed a flawless start, managed his tyres perfectly, and fought off Max Verstappen and Lando Norris to bring Ferrari their second victory in three races. The win was more than just a triumph of engineering — it was a statement of intent from a driver who refuses to fade quietly into retirement.
Age is Just a Number
At 40, Hamilton is defying every expectation of what a Formula 1 driver’s prime should look like. While younger stars like Piastri, Norris, and Antonelli are rewriting the future, Hamilton continues to rewrite the present.
“He’s a machine,” Leclerc admitted after the race. “What he did this weekend was unbelievable. The car on Friday was barely drivable, and yet he turned it into a winner. That’s Lewis.”
A Sign of Things to Come?
Ferrari’s momentum is building at just the right time. With Hamilton’s leadership, the team’s development direction has become clearer, and their race-day strategy more refined. The SF-25 might have started the season as a temperamental challenger, but it’s now a genuine title contender.
Hamilton’s transformation in Mexico wasn’t just about one race. It was about sending a message — to the paddock, to his critics, and perhaps even to himself. The fire still burns, the instincts remain razor-sharp, and the legend of Lewis Hamilton continues to grow.
As the Formula 1 circus heads to Brazil, one thing is certain: Ferrari’s “uncontrollable beast” has found its tamer. And his name, as ever, is Lewis Hamilton.
About The Author
