Hamilton applying pressure on Ferrari - Steiner

      "Ferrari must have anticipated the challenges they would face."

      Ferrari is reportedly under "immense pressure" in 2025, according to former Haas team principal Gunther Steiner. Despite winning the Shanghai sprint from pole position, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton currently sits ninth in the overall standings, although he is ahead of teammate Charles Leclerc. However, following the pre-season excitement, Ferrari experienced a harsh reality in China when both Hamilton and Leclerc were disqualified due to separate technical violations.

      "The team is facing immense pressure, primarily because of Lewis," Steiner told Speed Week. "No matter what occurs, he remains the focus of attention. But when they recruited him, Ferrari must have been aware of what they were signing up for."

      From a financial perspective, bringing Hamilton on board is proving beneficial for the renowned Maranello brand, with Puma reporting an astonishing eight-fold increase in merchandise sales compared to the same timeframe last year. "A significant share of this revenue returns to Ferrari through licensing fees," explained Tobias Gruner from Auto Motor und Sport. "This likely covers a substantial part of the driver's salary, which is estimated to exceed 50 million euros."

      Steiner also noted that a similar phenomenon is occurring at Mercedes, but in a contrasting manner. "Even without Hamilton, Mercedes is performing admirably," he mentioned, "but now the drivers are almost unnoticed by the public. The media is far more focused on Ferrari and Hamilton than on Mercedes, despite the latter's better performance at present.

      "This once again highlights the magnetic appeal of Hamilton's personality, which stands out even when set against the broader backdrop of Ferrari."

      Italian former racing driver Davide Valsecchi, who is now a television commentator, expressed a similar view to Corriere dello Sport: "Everyone is discussing Lewis - his love for pizza or his Gianni Agnelli-style jackets. Nevertheless, this reduces the pressure on Charles, as he is no longer viewed as the destined chosen one. Yet, during the second half of last season, he performed more consistently than ever.

      "If I were to place a bet," Valsecchi added, "I'd predict the current ranking as (Lando) Norris, Leclerc, (Max) Verstappen, and then Hamilton."