Hamilton’s Ferrari move not yet paying off - Pirelli

Pirelli CEO Marco Tronchetti Provera has cast doubt on whether Lewis Hamilton has fully embraced his high-profile move to Ferrari, as the British driver continues to lag behind teammate Charles Leclerc.

“Perhaps the mechanism hasn't kicked in to see Ferrari as an opportunity to crown an extraordinary career,” Tronchetti Provera told Radio Rai GR Parlamento. “So far, his performances have certainly not been stellar.”

Hamilton finished just seventh at Spa, well adrift of Leclerc, who claimed another podium with the help of Ferrari’s upgraded rear suspension.

The seven-time world champion has yet to win in red and trails Leclerc in the points standings.

“It's his commitment that counts,” Tronchetti Provera added. “We all know he's a great driver. We need to understand how he's integrating with the team, and how he's doing.”

Former Haas boss Gunther Steiner, now a pundit for RTL, echoed the view that Hamilton’s Ferrari form is falling short of expectations.

“He has to start making an effort now, otherwise people will lose faith in him,” said Steiner. “I expected a bit more. I expected him to be able to keep up with Charles, but he's quite far from that.”

Tronchetti Provera also weighed in on the current pecking order in Formula 1 after another dominant McLaren 1-2 at Spa.

“It confirms the greater competitiveness of the McLarens. They have an advantage over everyone,” he said.

Still, he praised Ferrari’s recent progress and said the Monza-bound team is back in the mix.

“The good surprise is Ferrari's return to the top, and this is the best news in Formula 1,” he said. “Then we have Verstappen who works miracles, but Leclerc was better.”

“We're heading towards Monza with a Ferrari that is increasingly competitive. The hope is that everyone does well, because if Ferrari returns to the top it's good news for everyone.”