Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari image 'not as bad as people make out'

The image of Lewis Hamilton's struggles in his debut season with Ferrari last year is not as bad as it is perceived on the outside.

That is the view of Ferrari's head of track engineering, Matteo Togninalli, who has made clear that whilst there was frustration on both sides throughout the campaign, context should be applied to the situation.

After 12 years with Mercedes, during which time Hamilton won six of his seven F1 drivers' titles, the 40-year-old joined Ferrari a year ago to a tremendous reception from both team members and the Tifosi.

But despite a victory in the sprint in China, which was the second race weekend of the year, Hamilton failed to record a single grand prix podium for the first time in his 19-season F1 career.

As time wore on, and after a decision in late April from team principal Fred Vasseur to stop aerodynamic development on the SF-25, Hamilton's angst grew, leading to what appeared to be tension between the driver and the Scuderia.

Togninalli feels a greater perspective is required to appreciate the circumstances.

"I'm sure you are all aware, but changing a driver, and for a driver to change a team, and mainly for a driver like Lewis, who spent 12 years with the same team, and has a certain level of experience, it is very difficult for both sides," he said, speaking to the media, including RacingNews365, at the end of last season.

"That's for both a driver and the team, because every team operates in a slightly different way. You are used to certain people. You are used to doing things in a certain way.

"Then, if you put this in context, and the fact that Lewis is used to winning championships, and we didn't achieve the target of fighting for the championship, so you have frustration, and this creates a situation.

"What you see from the outside is worse than what it is [on the inside]. The relationship with Lewis, what we are building with him, is extremely positive.

"Again, if you put it into context, he spent 12 years with the same team, with the same people, and after 10 months, we already have a very, very strong link with him.

"Nevertheless, the frustration, the results, have created this image of ourselves, of Ferrari, that I believe is much, much worse than what it is in reality.

"Why is he struggling? In part, it is the frustration, and in other parts, we need some time to adapt to each other. Maybe both, the team and Lewis, under avoided this at the beginning [of the season]."

Togninalli does not doubt that the relationship will considerably improve this season, in which the ground-effect cars that Hamilton so disliked are consigned to the past, and a new regulatory era is ushered in with a car that should lean more to the driving style of the Briton.

"I'm confident," said Togninalli. "As I said, I don't think the relationship is as bad as you all think, but I'm sure, with time, it will improve.

"Results are the best help, of course. Give him a car that can perform, and you will get results. This is fundamental.

"We are racers, he is a racer, so the frustration when we lose is massive."