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Lewis Hamilton believes Ferrari can deliver his first victory for the team in Monaco this weekend, ending a 39-race winless streak stretching back to Belgium 2024. The seven-time world champion has finally found his rhythm with the Scuderia after a difficult opening phase to the season, and La Gazzetta dello Sport reports he is now "one with the car" ahead of the Monte Carlo round.
Mercedes have won every race so far this season, but Hamilton is confident Ferrari's mechanical strengths will suit the tight, technical demands of the street circuit. The Briton has won three times in Monaco, most recently in 2019 when he beat Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari and Valtteri Bottas to the top step. Max Verstappen crossed the line second that day but was relegated to fourth after a penalty.
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Ferrari's optimism is rooted in more than just Hamilton's resurgent form. The FIA has banned the use of straight-line mode in Monaco, a restriction that could neutralise Mercedes' power unit advantage on the harbour sections. Combined with Ferrari's stronger mechanical grip and low-speed traction, the regulation creates a rare window of opportunity against a team that has otherwise been untouchable in 2025.
Monaco has historically been Mercedes' weak point. Beyond Hamilton's three victories and Nico Rosberg's wins during the hybrid era, the team has struggled at the circuit. Mercedes failed to reach the podium in each of the last five Monaco Grands Prix and left pointless in 2024. Ferrari, by contrast, finished on the podium in all five of those editions and won in 2024, underlining a consistent mechanical advantage on the slowest layout of the season.
Career stakes for Hamilton
A victory this weekend would carry significant weight for Hamilton, who moved to Ferrari to chase an eighth world title but has so far been unable to translate that ambition into results. The 39-race winless run is the longest drought of his career, and Mercedes' dominance has cast doubt over whether the Ferrari gamble will pay off. A win in Monaco, one of the most prestigious races on the calendar, would offer proof that the project still has legs.
La Gazzetta dello Sport emphasises that Hamilton now believes Ferrari "can really compete" for victories, a shift in tone after months of cautious messaging from Maranello. Whether that conviction is borne out on Sunday will depend on qualifying, tyre management, and Ferrari's ability to execute a clean race in a location where track position is everything.
Hamilton has not stood on the top step of a podium since the summer of 2024. Monaco represents both a statistical anomaly in Mercedes' season and a circuit that has consistently favoured Ferrari's DNA. If the FIA ruling plays out as expected, this weekend could mark the moment Ferrari's long-awaited partnership with Hamilton finally delivers
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