Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain walks through the pit lane after the Azerbaijan Formula One Grand Prix in Baku, Azerbaijan, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
Third-placed Williams driver Carlos Sainz of Spain stands on the podium after the Azerbaijan Formula One Grand Prix in Baku, Azerbaijan, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
Lewis Hamilton’s wait for a Ferrari podium drags on after Sainz’s GP success for Williams
The list of Grand Prix podium finishers in 2025 now includes Carlos Sainz, Jr. It still doesn鈥檛 include the driver who replaced him at Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton.
Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain walks through the pit lane after the Azerbaijan Formula One Grand Prix in Baku, Azerbaijan, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
The list of Grand Prix podium finishers in 2025 now includes Carlos Sainz, Jr. It still doesn鈥檛 include the driver who replaced him at Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton.
While Sainz was celebrating a third place for Williams that he called 鈥渆ven better鈥 than his first in , Hamilton was saying he 鈥渃ouldn鈥檛 really care less鈥 about finishing eighth as his wait for a first top-three finish at Ferrari goes on.
鈥淒efinitely disappointed to come away with nothing,” Hamilton told Sky Sports after the .
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Hamilton could point to some progress after starting 12th on the grid but the overall mood was disappointment after Ferrari had led the way in Friday鈥檚 second practice session, only to fall back into the middle of the pack. Teammate Charles Leclerc started 10th after a crash in qualifying and ended up ninth.
鈥淗onestly, I felt so good in the car and ultimately we went in the wrong direction with the car. But our ultimate pace in the race was just not on par with the guys up ahead of us,鈥 Hamilton said. “It was so hard to overtake here today.鈥
Hamilton’s time at Ferrari started with promise after a win in the sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix in March but a for him and Leclerc the following day pointed to setup issues which Ferrari has struggled to solve.
Vindication for Sainz
For Sainz, who left Ferrari for uncertainty at a Williams team which hadn’t been on the podium since 2021, his third place was a vindication of his new team’s long-term plan to compete at the front of the pack again.
Sainz said it also showed he was standing out among the drivers who had to adapt to new teams for 2025, a category which also includes Hamilton.
鈥淚 think out of everyone that鈥檚 changed teams, which is not an easy task nowadays, I鈥檝e been very competitive from the first race, very quick, but I didn鈥檛 have results with me,” he said.
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“I didn鈥檛 have results to prove to myself, the team, and everyone that some good things were about to come. But, in the end, they did.鈥
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