How Hamilton’s New Driving Style Is Making Him Faster at Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton's transition to Ferrari in 2025 was always expected to involve some level of adaptation to a new car philosophy. After all, every team on the grid has its own design philosophy, balance tendencies and driving requirements. But what has truly taken me by surprise, especially during the Chinese Grand Prix weekend, is just how drastically Hamilton appears to have altered his driving style, particularly when compared to the approach he's refined and when F1 moved from the V8 era into the hybrid V6 turbo era. For over a decade, Hamilton has driven Mercedes-powered machinery that thrived under a specific aerodynamic and power delivery philosophy. He built his success during this time with a very distinctive style, braking late and hard into corners, managing rotation at the apex and then firing the car out with pinpoint throttle modulation. It was an aggressive but elegant approach, and it became a hallmark of Hamilton's dominance in the hybrid era. However, during the Chinese Grand Prix weekend, his second race weekend in Ferrari Red, his style looked almost unrecognisable. The revelation came when Formula One released the ghost car comparison video of his sprint shootout pole lap versus Max Verstappen's P2 lap. In this side-by-side visual comparison, it became shockingly clear that Hamilton had made a complete 180 in his driving methodology. Rather than the late braking, aggressive corner entries that we've come to expect from him, Lewis was noticeably braking much earlier into corners. This wasn't a case of him losing confidence or being cautious, it was a conscious adaptation to exploit the strengths of the Ferrari chassis. Ferrari's car philosophy, especially in the current ground effect era, is uniquely suited to generating performance in slower speed corners. Its mechanical grip and balance allow drivers to focus on corner exits, using the platform's stability to build momentum out of tight turns. Hamilton appeared to be tapping into this characteristic fully, braking early, maintaining smoothness through the apex, and prioritising exit speed. This is a stark contrast to how he's historically approached cornering, and it suggests a deep understanding, not just of Ferrari's capabilities, but also of how to maximise them quickly. What makes this even more fascinating is how it juxtaposes with Verstappen's approach during the same sprint shootout. Max, who is typically known for his early braking and then carrying higher mid-corner speeds, basically the opposite of Hamilton's former style, was actually doing the inverse. In the ghost comparison, Verstappen was seen braking later than usual, compromising his exit speeds in an effort to extract more lap time at entry. In effect, it seemed like both drivers had swapped driving philosophies. Hamilton, the late breaker, was now focused on clean exits, while Verstappen, the exit-orientated driver, was overloading the entry phase. The visual contrast was not only a rare glimpse into the nuances of elite-level driving, but also a showcase of Hamilton's remarkable adaptability. That Hamilton was able to so quickly internalise and execute this different approach, especially just one full race weekend into his Ferrari tenure, is nothing short of remarkable. To already be on the sprint pole, beating Verstappen in equal conditions, shows that Hamilton isn't just learning the car, but mastering how to drive it fast in the way that suits it best. This level of transformation, in such a short period of time, speaks volumes about his talent, experience and racing IQ. It also serves as a stark reminder – never underestimate Lewis Hamilton's ability to evolve. For me, I am personally happy that Lewis is seemingly changing his driving style from the previous late-braking technique to one that involves braking earlier and prioritising corner exits, and there are two main reasons why this change excites me. First and foremost, this revised technique fundamentally complements the Ferrari SF25 far more effectively. Ferrari's machinery, especially in recent years, has always had a strong reputation for generating excellent traction out of slow-speed corners. This trait is deeply embedded in their car philosophy. As such, it makes much more sense for a driver to brake earlier, get the car rotated smoothly before reaching the hairpin or tight apex, and then begin feathering the throttle out of the corner as early as possible. This plays directly into one of the SF25's biggest strengths – its ability to put power down cleanly on exits. Late-braking, on the other hand, might be impressive to watch. But in the context of Ferrari's car behaviour, it simply doesn't unlock the maximum potential of the package. Secondly, and perhaps even more importantly, I feel that this shift will enhance one of Hamilton's long-standing weapons – his outstanding race pace and tyre management. While late-braking can provide lap-time advantages in certain situations, it also brings a host of risks with it – increased chance of lock-ups, higher thermal load on the tyres, and greater potential for rear-end instability and wheel-spin on corner exit. When a driver brakes late and carries that diagonal momentum into the corner, they often have to apply more steering lock to get the car rotated, which places even more strain on the front tyres. On top of that, the rear tyres are then tasked with managing both cornering forces and throttle input simultaneously upon exit, leading to more sliding and wear. By contrast, if you brake earlier and more progressively, the car is more stable, easier to rotate mid-corner, and better positioned to accelerate out cleanly. In the long run, this smoother style reduces tyre slip and degradation, which could give Hamilton even more of an edge over a full race distance. If Lewis continues to commit to this style throughout the season, I genuinely believe we could see an even more formidable version of Not just fast, but relentless in consistency and tyre preservation. On a more personal note, as much as Lewis is the driver I support and admire the most, I've never quite shared his traditional driving style in my own sim racing experience. When I play games like Gran Turismo 7 or the F1 series, I tend to adopt a driving approach that's much closer to Max Verstappen's. I naturally gravitate towards set-ups with a very sensitive front end, and I prefer braking slightly earlier while focusing on carrying more mid-corner speed. That kind of rhythm, where you glide through corners and just manage the rear without upsetting the balance, feels more intuitive to me. I also find it more forgiving and easier to extract lap time from. With the late-braking approach, there are just too many variables to constantly juggle. You're trying to push the limit without overstepping, avoiding lock-ups, fighting the car mid-corner with more steering lock, and then wrestling the rear on exit due to the sharper angle of attack. It's a delicate high-wire act, and frankly it's a bit too much hassle for my own taste. That's why it's been so satisfying to see Lewis, perhaps instinctively, lean into a driving style that feels more fluid and balanced, something that reminds me of how he used to drive in the early stages of his F1 career at McLaren. Back then, he was known for his natural rhythm through corners, his ability to maintain speed while still being gentle on the tyres, and his feel for rotation. This latest evolution almost feels like a return to that foundation, but with the added wisdom and experience of an eight-time world champion. It could not only make him quicker over a single lap, but also extend the life of his tyres in longer stints, giving him yet another weapon in his already stacked arsenal. Of course, it's still early days. Only two race weekends have passed in the 2025 season, and what we saw in China may well have been circuit-specific. The Shanghai International Circuit places a premium on long, slow corners and traction-heavy exits, which could have naturally encouraged this driving adaptation. But even if it is partially situational, the signs are encouraging. So far, Lewis is leading Charles Leclerc 2-1 in qualifying head-to-head, he secured pole for the sprint race, and he backed that up with a commanding sprint race win. While some of this success might be more correlation than direct causation, it's hard to ignore the potential link between this altered driving technique and his strong early form. It will be fascinating to watch whether this becomes a season-long trend, and whether Lewis continues to refine this approach as he grows more comfortable in the SF25. If so, we may be witnessing not just a new chapter in Hamilton's Ferrari story, but a quiet reinvention of the driver himself, one that harks back to his origins while unlocking new potential for the battles ahead.