‘He’s very exceptional’ – Ex-Ferrari test driver Marc Gene lauds new recruit Hamilton but warns ‘there’s a lot of pressure’ at the Scuderia

Last time out in Japan he could only manage seventh, meaning he has been beaten by team mate Charles Leclerc in the opening three races of the season.

Gene reckons that while Hamilton has the talent and ability to succeed at Ferrari, the unique nature of racing for the historic team means that pressure could become a deciding factor.

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“There’s a lot of pressure at Ferrari. There’s no other team in the world that you have to cope with so much pressure, but as a driver, he’s going to experience things that he never experienced before, probably his debut in Fiorano, to see so many people that they had to close the roads. This at the end of the day is nice,” said Gene.

“He has a very good team around him, but I don’t think it’s difficult for him. We are making sure that he adapts to the Ferrari world very fast. We are very proud at Ferrari that he chose not to retire from Formula 1 without living his dream of being part of the Ferrari family. I think that’s part of Ferrari’s DNA. Everybody dreams one day of driving a Ferrari.”