Jock Clear says Ferrari never expected Lewis Hamilton to match Charles Leclerc immediately
Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images Jock Clear, who previously worked alongside Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, said that Ferrari fully expected him to settle in quickly when he arrived. After a tough opening campaign with the Scuderia, Lewis Hamilton appears much more settled in his second year at Ferrari. The seven-time world champion took his first podium for the team early this season, and looked comfortable throughout the race weekend in Japan.
Securing that first podium was a significant milestone for Hamilton and served as a reminder of what he’s capable of at this stage of his career. Hamilton’s strong start has also led some to believe he’s pushed Charles Leclerc out of his comfort zone. Lewis Hamilton had to adapt to ‘different DNA’ at Ferrari Ferrari senior performance engineer Jock Clear recently told Peter Windsor on his YouTube channel that Lewis Hamilton’s improvement this season was never in doubt for those within the team.
Clear pointed out that after years at another team, such as Mercedes , it was only natural that Hamilton needed time to adapt. This process is common when adjusting to a new environment and different team dynamics. He spoke about the positive changes he has observed, noting a shift in Hamilton’s overall approach.
Clear also addressed the narrative that Hamilton’s success came only because he had the best car. He explained that moving teams presented real challenges and it wasn’t surprising to see some initial struggles. “Because it’s tough.
With a year’s experience at Ferrari now, building relationships, and getting some of his input into the development, you’ve seen the difference this year. I’m not talking about lap time; that speaks for itself. “But Lewis’ whole demeanour.