Lewis Hamilton responded to his critics in style at the Chinese GP sprint as he racked up his first-ever win in red, in front of a packed crowd at the Shanghai International Circuit where most were rooting for him.
Hamilton’s primary goal upon arrival at Ferrari was to win his eighth title. But that seemed like a far-fetched thought when they rocked up at the Australian GP last weekend, way behind the benchmark pace set by McLaren—the favorites this year.
Experts like Guenther Steiner had also blamed Ferrari for getting their concept wrong over the winter. But in Shanghai, Hamilton shut the doubters wrong by finishing more than six seconds ahead of second-placed Oscar Piastri.
The 40-year-old won’t get carried away. But he knows that Ferrari has the potential to put up a fight for the crown. And for that, he has asked his team not to get bogged down by critics questioning their abilities.
“I think for everyone in the team it’s just, not read the headlines, not be distracted by that stuff… just continue to stay on course, do what we do and just work hard and keep our heads down,” he said after the sprint.
#ChineseGP | Lewis Hamilton: “I think for everyone in the team it’s just, not read the headlines, not be distracted by that stuff… just continue to stay on course, do what we do and just work hard and keep our heads down.”
— deni (@fiagirly) March 22, 2025
Hamilton has been a beacon of positivity for his team members throughout his career. Even when those at Mercedes faced criticism for fielding a subpar car, he consistently reaffirmed his belief in them—at least publicly.
Behind the scenes, he is hard at work, analyzing areas for improvement and learning from past mistakes. After the first race of the Chinese GP weekend, Hamilton emphasized the need for his team to determine whether their improved performance compared to Australia was due to the dry weather or the track layout.
As for his driving, it was top-notch. On a day when others struggled to manage their tires, Hamilton was absolutely flawless. “He just snapped immediately back into front-running Formula One World Champion mode. That was really, really impressive to watch,” said F1TV expert Alex Brundle.
Celebrating the first victory as a team pic.twitter.com/ROMTe7nUfO
— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) March 22, 2025
Hamilton also pointed out that many underestimated how difficult it was to adapt to a new car and perform. He suggested that the harsh feedback he received after a challenging debut was rather unfair. “The amount of critics and people I’ve heard yapping along the way, clearly not understanding—and unaware,” he added.
Hamilton will now aim to carry this strong form into Grand Prix qualifying and the race. If he can do so, the seven-time world champion could turn back the clock, regain his championship-winning form, and mount a serious challenge for the 2025 drivers’ title.
